5^75  oe> 


ANNALS  OF 


THE  ETANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION 
OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


AND 


History  of  the  United  Evangelical  Churcli 

BY 

REV.  A.  STAPLETON.  M.  S. 

Author  of  Natural  History  of  the  Bible. 


The  Lord  has  done  great  things  for  us, 
whereof  we  are  glad. — Psalms  cxxvi.j. 


published  by 

Publishing  House  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church 
harrisburg,  penna. 

1900 


Copyrighted  in  the  year  1896 
2y  the  Board  of  Publication 

OF  THE 

^Jnited  Evangelical  Church. 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arcliive 
in  2014 


https://arcliive.org/details/annalsofevangeliOOstap_0 


AUTHOR'S  INTRODUCTION. 


"We  take  no  note  of  time 
But  from  its  loss.    To  give  it  then  a  tongue 
Is  wise  in  man." — Young. 

Almost  a  century  has  passed  by  since  the  ecclesiastical  foundations  of  the 
Evangelical  Association  were  laid,  and  the  hands  that,  under  the  Providence  of 
God,  gathered  the  materials,  have  long  since  been  folded  in  death.  Yea,  even 
the  immediate  successors  of  our  Church  fathers  are  already  growing  old  and  fast 
passing  away.  One  by  one  the  few  remaining  links  are  being  broken,  and  soon 
our  aged  Evangelical  pilgrims,  who  in  their  youth  came  in  contact  with,  and  under 
the  influence  of  our  early  pioneers,  will  also  have  joined  the  triumphant  Evan- 
gelical host  beyond  the  tide. 

The  Evangelical  Association  has  come  to  her  present  position  through  many 
severe  trials  and  tribulations.  No  denomination  originating  in  America  has  a 
more  interesting  history  than  our  Evangelical  Zion. 

Although  several  histories  of  the  Association  have  been  published,  all  excel- 
lent in  their  way,  it  has  nevertheless  been  felt  for  many  years  that  one  of  the 
most  interesting  phases  of  her  history  has  been  passed  over  too  lightly  by  previous 
authors.  This  deficiency  the  author  of  this  work  has  endeavored  to  supply  in 
the  first  part  of  this  volume,  in  the  recovery  of  the  names  of  early  members  and 
preaching  places,  as  well  as  incidents  connected  with  the  establishment  of  the 
work  by  our  early  preachers. 

The  publication  of  this  work  is  the  consummation  of  a  long  and  fondly 
cherished  desire  of  the  author.  There  are  many  things  connected  with  it  which 
to  him  seem  providential.  In  early  youth  it  was  his  good  fortune  to  be  a  member 
of  several  of  the  first  classes  of  the  Association,  in  which  were  still  found  some  of 
the  original  members,  who  had  much  to  say  about  Albright  and  his  co-laborers. 
Many  of  these  old  people  had  very  clear  and  distinct  recollections  of  the  stirring 
scenes  of  the  olden  times.  In  course  of  time  the  knowledge  thus  gained  was 
reduced  to  notes,  without  any  regard  to  their  connection  with  the  history  of  the 
Association.  The  accumulation  of  so  many  interesting  facts  and  incidents  pertain- 
ing to  the  olden  time,  naturally  found  expression  in  a  desire  for  their  preservation 
in  a  permanent  form. 

A  circumstance  very  remarkable  and  worthy  of  record,  is  the  fact  that  so 
many  very  aged  people  kept  alive  and  cherished  in  their  memories  the  knowledge 
of  facts  pertaining  to  our  early  denominational  history,  in  the  hope  of  some  day 


IV- 


AUTHOR'S  introduction: 


communicating  it  to  the  right  person  for  publication.  Some  of  these  people 
communicated  important  matters  to  their  children,  and  in  this  way  many  of  the 
facts  here  recorded  were  preserved. 

Our  older  preachers  often  expressed  a  desire  that  the  names  of  the  old 
appointments  and  first  members  might  be  recovered  for  the  benefit  of  posterity, 
before  all  the  sources  of  information  should  be  forever  closed.  This  desire  the 
author  has  endeavored  to  meet  in  the  publication  of  this  work,  which  was  under- 
taken, as  he  firmly  believes,  none  too  soon,  seeing  that  most  of  the  sources  of 
information  from  which  materials  of  the  first  part  were  gathered,  have  passed 
away  since  the  work  was  commenced,  and  much  of  the  matter  could  not  again 
be  reproduced  from  the  sources  now  at  command. 

There  are  doubtless  some  errors  in  this  work,  as  may  be  expected  in  such  a 
vast  mass  of  details,  embracing  many  hundreds  of  names  and  dates.  Yet  the 
author  confidently  believes  that  such  errors  are  few  in  number.  Neither  pains 
nor  expense  have  been  spared  to  secure  accuracy.  Records  in  the  state  and 
county  archives  have  been  examined  to  ascertain  facts,  and  to  verify  such  as 
were  doubtful. 

The  oldest  living  preachers  of  the  Association  co-operated  with  a  zeal  which 
evinced  their  deep  interest  in  the  work.  Among  them  may  be  mentioned  father 
Joseph  M.  Sa-ylor,  who  entered  the  ministry  in  1824,  and  was  a  contemporary 
of  some  of  the  first  preachers  of  the  Association.  He  not  only  furnished  a  large 
amount  of  material,  but  also  reviewed  a  considerable  portion  of  the  copy  pertain- 
ing to  the  first  circuits.  Father  Francis  Hoffman,  who  entered  the  ministry 
in  1826,  also  did  considerable  in  the  same  line.  To  father  Daniel  Long  (1835) 
the  author  owes  his  first  knowledge  of  Albright's  work  in  Bedford  county,  and 
other  important  matters,  but  while  gathering  fuller  details  for  this  work,  he  was 
suddenly  called  to  his  eternal  reward.  Father  Joseph  Harlacher  (1832)  also 
rendered  valuable  services.  The  recovery  of  the  names  of  early  preaching  places 
and  members  in  Ohio  is  largely  due  to  fathers  Lewis  Einsel  (1836),  Daniel 
Swartz  (1835),  Abraham  Loehner  (1837),  and  Ch.  Idleman.  The  latter 
was  one  of  the  first  converts  in  northwestern  Ohio.  The  four  last  named  brethren 
traveled  in  Ohio  when  most  of  the  appointments  established  by  our  first  mission- 
aries were  still  maintained.  A  great  many  other  brethren,  both  ministerial  and 
lay,  co-operated  heartily  in  the  preparation  of  this  work,  some  going  to  great 
pains  to  ascertain  or  verify  facts.  Without  their  help  this  work  could  never  have 
been  accomplished. 

To  the  reader  who  is  not  a  member  of  the  Evangelical  Association  it  may 
seem  strange  that  so  much  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  laity,  and  matters  of 
family  history.  This  feature  finds  its  explanation  in  the  following  grounds  :  The 
author  holds  that  men  who  were  willing  to  come  out  from  among  the  formal 
churches  and  espouse  the  cause  of  Evangelical  truth  in  the  face  of  bitter  perse- 
cution, and  opened  their  houses  as  preaching  places,  which  often  required  great 
sacrifices,  deserve  a  wider  recognition  than  has  been  hitherto  accorded  them. 
Another  reason  is  the  fact  that  most  of  these  old  fathers  became  centers  of 
Evangelical  influence.  Their  houses  served  as  preaching  places  until  churches 
were  built,  and  in  many  cases  they  provided  for  the  maintenance  of  public  worship 


AUTHOR'S  introduction: 


at  their  homes  after  their  death.  There  are  homesteads  now  in  the  Evangelical 
Association  where  preaching  appointments  have  been  maintained  ever  since  the 
days  of  the  founder  of  the  Church  ;  a  period  of  almost  one  century. 

A  great  many  of  the  first  families  of  the  Association  were  among  the  most 
prominent  in  their  respective  communities.  This  is  contrary  to  a  generally  received 
opinion.  We  have  for  many  years  been  misrepresented  in  this  respect,  and  the 
reproach  has  been  laid  at  our  doors  that  our  early  members  and  adherents  were 
composed  of  the  ignorant  classes  and  gathered  from  the  humbler  v.-alks  of  life. 
From  a  careful  study  of  this  subject,  we  can  assure  the  reader  that  this  opinion 
is  an  erroneous  one,  as  the  following  chapters  will  abundantly  show.  It  required 
no  small  degree  of  moral  courage  for  them  to  abandon  the  formal  churches  with 
which  they  stood  connected.  Many  of  them  were  officers  in  these  churches,  and 
cases  were  not  infrequent  in  which  their  former  pastors  incited  their  parishioners 
to  violent  measures  to  prevent  them  from  receiving  the  "false  prophets,"  as  our 
first  preachers  were  called. 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  observed  that  most  of  the  early  conversions 
were  deep  and  powerful.  This  assertion  must  not  be  understood  as  implying 
that  conversions  tww  are  less  genuine.  The  spiritual  condition  of  the  masses  at 
that  time  was  at  such  a  low  ebb,  and  such  erroneous  opinions  respecting  the 
character  of  experimental  religion  prevailed,  that  when  people  were  thoroughly 
converted  to  God,  its  immediate  effects  upon  the  individual,  as  well  as  those  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact,  were  far  more  powerful  than  at  the  present  time. 
The  converts  then  were  especially  drawn  to  God  in  prayer.  They  sometimes 
gave  pledges  to  each  other  of  special  remembrance  in  prayer.  When  such  per- 
secution as  they  endured  is  prevalent,  it  requires  special  grace  to  remain  faithful. 
Although  denounced  by  their  formal  pastors  as  heretics,  and  in  many  cases 
disowned  and  disinherited  by  parents  and  relatives,  they  held  out  well,  and  their 
inspiring  examples  still  live  among  us  to  incite  us  to  follow,  as  they  did,  the 
footsteps  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  ever  reminding  us  that 

"By  the  thorn  road,  and  none  other, 
Is  the  mount  of  vision  won." 

The  preparation  of  the  second  and  third  parts  of  this  book  was  less  difficult, 
as  the  sources  of  information  were  more  accessible.  The  works  of  Orwig, 
Raidabaugh,  Breyfogel  and  Yeakel,  and  also  the  periodical  literature  of 
the  Church,  were  freely  consulted.  To  the  many  friends  who  have  rendered 
valuable  aid,  and  above  all,  to  our  dear  Heavenly  Father,  who  has  blessed  us  with 
health  and  the  spirit  of  perseverance  for  the  successful  accomplishment  of  our 
arduous  but  agreeable  task,  we  give  our  most  heartfelt  thanks. 

A.  STAPLETON. 

Berwick,  Pa. 


I 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


PART  I. 

Containing  an  Account  of  the  Origin  and  Development 
OF  THE  Evangelical  Association  Through  the  Labors  of 
REV.  JACOB  ALBRIGHT  and  His  Co-Laborers.  Also 
AN  Account  of  the  Early  Preaching  Places  and  of  Prom- 
inent Laymen. 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 

The  Pennsylvania  Germans  —  The  Immigration  to  America. 
Their  Spiritual  Condition  —  Awakening  Among  Them. 
Conversion  of  Jacob  Albright,  and  beginning  of  his 

WORK. 

The  Peimsylvaiiia  Germans.  The  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation of  North  America  owes  its  origin,  under  the  providence 
of  God,  to  the  labors  of  Rev.  Jacob  Albright  and  his  co-laborers 
among  the  Pennsylvania  Germans.  As  our  early  preachers  labored 
exclusively  among  this  people,  and  as  they  have  a  dialect,  cus- 
toms and  traits  of  character  peculiarly  their  own,  a  brief  history 
of  them  seems  proper  in  this  connection. 

The  Pennsylvania  Germans  were  mostly  emigrants  from  the 
Palatinate,  or  Lower  Rhinish  provinces  of  Germany.  Prior  to 
1702  very  few  Germans  had  settled  in  Pennsylvania.  The  first 
settlement  by  them  was  made  in  1683,  when  a  small  colony  under 
Pastorius  founded  Germantown,  now  a  part  of  Philadelphia. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  emigrations 
of  modern  times,  chiefly  because  such  a  large  proportion  of  the 
emigrants  represented  a  distinct  division  of  the  great  Germanic 
race.  So  large  indeed  was  this  proportion,  that  it  absorbed  and 
assimilated  in  a  great  measure  all  other  racial  elements  with  which 
it  came  in  contact,  and  thus  were  laid  in  America  the  foundations 
of  a  new  and  distinct  Germanic  people,  differing  widely  in  many 
respects  from  the  typical  native  of  the  Fatherland. 

In  this  we  see  the  necessity  for  inquiring  more  minutely  into 
the  circumstances  which  led  to  this  remarkable  development. 


10 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


The  Hugtieuots.  There  is  no  more  eventful  period  in 
modern  history  than  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Oct. 
i8,  1685,  marked  the  Revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  by 
Louis  XIV.  of  France.  In  1598  Henry  IV.  granted  religious 
tolerance  to  French  Protestants  who  were  called  Huguenots,  and 
by  its  revocation  Louis  XIV.  kindled  anew  the  fires  of  persecu- 
tion against  them.  He  deprived  them  of  all  exercise  of  their 
religion,  and  tore  their  children  from  them  to  be  educated  as 
Catholics.  He  was  very  ambitious  of  the  fame  that  would  attach 
to  the  extirpation  of  heresy  from  his  dominions.  Notwithstand- 
ing his  tyrannical  decree  against  the  emigration  of  his  unhappy 
subjects,  and  the  strict  guard  on  his  borders,  great  multitudes 
escaped  the  vigilance  of  his  guards  and  spies,  and  in  a  few  years 
over  half  a  million  of  the  best  and  most  intelligent  people  of  the 
nation  had  fled  the  country,  many  thousands  of  whom  in  course 
of  time  found  a  congenial  refuge  on  the  shores  of  the  New  World,* 
and  many  of  their  descendants  were  among  the  first  to  open  their 
doors  to  Albright  and  his  co-laborers. 

The  Mettuonltes.  About  this  same  time  the  Mennonites  were 
also  bitterly  persecuted,  especially  in  Switzerland,  and  thousands 
fled  to  Holland  and  the  Lower  Rhine  provinces,  and  later  came 
to  Pennsylvania.  The  Mennonitc  emigration  properly  began  in 
1709.  In  1706,  or  1707,  the  Mennonites  of  the  Canton  of  Bern, 
Switzerland,  sent  several  agents  to  London  to  make  arrangements 
with  William  Penn  for  the  settlement  of  a  large  number  of  their 
people  in  his  province."}"  Soon  thereafter  the  envoys  came  direct 
to  Pennsylvania,  and  after  considerable  exploration  selected  a 
very  fine  tract  of  10,000  acres  on  the  north  side  of  Pequea  Creek, 
now  in  Strasburgh  township,  Lancaster  county.  The  title  was 
perfected  Oct.  10,  17 10,  and  the  land  divided  according  to 
previous  arrangement  the  following  April  27,  1711.J  In  a  few 
decades  thousands  of  these  conscientious  and  peaceable  people 
had  found  homes  in  Pennsylvania. 

The  Palatinates.  In  1688  Heidelberg  was  taken  the  sec- 
ond time  by  the  French  Papists  and  laid  in  ashes.  Like  the 
Phoenix  of  old  it  arose  again  from  its  ruins,  only  to  be  stormed 
and  destroyed  again  by  the  same  inveterate  enemy  in  1693. 
The  panic-stricken  inhabitants  were  compelled  to  flee  from  the 

*  Bancroft  says  the  United  States  are  full  of  monuments  of  this  Huguenot 
emigration. 

f  Col.  Records  iii.  p.  397.    X  Rupp's  Hist,  of  Lancaster  county,  p.  75. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


11 


relentless  foe  in  the  darkness  of  the  night.  Manheim,  Speyer 
and  Worms  were  also  pillaged  and  partly  destroyed,  and  the  whole 
region  was  laid  waste  and  desolate  by  the  wanton  fury  of  the 
Papists. 

The  unfortunate  inhabitants  were,  however,  induced  to  rebuild 
their  ruined  homes  again  under  promise  of  religious  freedom,  and 
immunity  from  taxes  for  a  certain  length  of  time.  In  this  they 
ivere  cruelly  deceived  by  their  Elector,  who  doubtless  acted  on 
the  Papistical  principle  then  prevalent,  that  promises  made  to 
heretics  should  not  be  redeemed.  Betrayed  by  their  heartless 
Elector,  and  despoiled  by  their  old  enemy,  the  French,  they  were 
well  nigh  driven  to  despair. 

Emleratloii  to  Penusylvatila.  Queen  Ann  of  England 
issued  A  proclamation  in  1708,  inviting  the  persecuted,  long- 
sutfcring  Palatinates  to  her  dominion,  and  before  the  end  of  the 
year  nearly  12,000  of  them  were  quartered  in  warehouses  and 
tents  in  London  and  vicinity.  Stripped  of  all  their  earthly 
possessions  they  were  very  poor,  and  were  supported  by  the  gov- 
ernment and  the  munificent  charity  of  the  queen. 

The  presence  of  so  many  thousand  indigent  foreigners  became 
a  serious  burden  to  England,  and  plans  were  devised  to  transport 
them  to  the  Provinces.  In  the  summer  of  1 7 1  o  about  3, 000  who 
iad  lived  on  the  bounty  of  Queen  Ann,  were  shipped  to  New 
York.  One  large  party,  under  Rev.  Kocherthal,  settled  at 
Schoharie,  New  York.  Trouble,  however,  arose,  and  the  Ger- 
mans became  dissatisfied,  maciy  gradually  working  their  way  to 
Pennsylvania,  and  were  the  first  Palatinates  in  the  province. 
Their  dissatisfaction  soon  became  known  to  their  kindred  in 
Europe,  and  thereafter  New  York  was  shunned  by  them.  In 
1723  the  proprietaries  of  New  York  invalidated  the  titles  of  the 
Schoharie  settlers  and  they  came  to  Pennsylvania  that  same  winter, 
suffering  incredible  hardships  in  traveling  through  the  wilderness. 
In  this  company  was  the  famous  Conrad  Weiser,  afterwards 
Colonial  Indian  agent  and  interpreter.  This  colony  settled  on 
the  Tolpehocken,  fifteen  miles  northwest  of  Reading,  Pa. 

While  the  English  emigration  was  comparatively  insignifi- 
cant, the  Germans  from  the  Lowlands  and  the  war -scourged 
Palatinate  poured  into  the  province  at  a  rapid  rate.  James 
Logan,  provincial  secretary,  wrote  the  proprietor  in  17 17,  "We 
have  of  late  a  great  number  of  Palatinates  pouring  in  upon  us 
without  any  recommendation  or  notice,  which  gives  the  country 


12  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 

some  uneasiness,  for  foreigners  do  not  so  well  among  us  as  our 
own  English  people."  Two  years  later  Jonathan  Dickinsont 
wrote,  "We  are  daily  expecting  ships  from  London  which  bring: 
over  Palatinates  in  number  six  or  seven  thousand."  In  1717 
Gov.  Keith  appeared  before  the  Colonial  Council  with  a  state- 
ment that  great  numbers  of  foreigners  from  Germany,  who  were 
strangers  to  the  language  and  customs,  were  dispersing  themselves 
immediately  after  landing,  "without  producing  certificates  from 
whence  they  came,  or  what  they  are, "  etc.  This  was  considered 
dangerous  to  the  colony,  and  led  to  the  adoption  of  a  measure 
which  has  preserved  the  names  of  upwards  of  30,000  male  emi- 
grants, (Germans),  as  all  males  sixteen  years  old  and  upwards 
were  thereafter  compelled  to  subscribe  to  an  oath,  or  article  of 
allegiance  to  the  English  government  and  obedience  to  the  Colo- 
nial authorities.  This  was  equivalent  to  the  naturalization  of  the 
present  day.  The  lists  containing  these  names  are  among  ,  the^ 
most  precious  treasures  in  the  archives  of  the  Commonwealth. 

In  1727  no  less  than  six  vessels  arrived  in  Philadelphia,  well 
laden  with  Palatinates,  followed  in  1728  by  three  more  vessels,  and 
the  same  number  in  1729.  The  Palatine  emigration, -however, 
was  unprecedented  from  1730  to  1740,  as  no  less  than  sixty-five 
ship-loads  arrived.  In  1730  the  region  west  of  the  Susquehanna 
river  was  opened  to  settlement,  and  what  are  now  York  and 
Adams  counties  were  soon  filled  up  with  Germans.  Thousands 
also  mingled  with  the  Scotch  Irish  in  the  fertile  Cumberland 
Valley,  and  many  Palatine  settlements  were  made  in  Maryland 
and  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  in  Virginia,  as  far  south  as  Shen- 
andoah and  Rockbridge  counties.  "When  George  Washingtoa 
and  others  were  surveying  lands  in  that  part  of  Virginia  in  April, 
1748,  they  were  attended  by  a  great  company  of  people,  men, 
women  and  children,  who  followed  them  through  the  woods.  They 
would  never  speak  English,  but  when  spoken  to  would  always 
speak  Dutch"*  (German).  In  1742  the  Germans  of  Pennsylva- 
nia were  estimated  to  number  ioo,ooo,f  and  in  many  sections 
formed  fully  nine-tenths  of  the  inhabitants.  After  the  treaty  of 
lort  Stanwix,  Nov.  5,  1758,  the  rich  and  fertile  valleys  of  the 
west  and  northwest  were  penetrated  by  the  Germans,  and  some 
extensive  settlements  were  made  by  them  west  of  the  main  ridge 
of  the  Allegheny  mountains,  prior  to  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 


♦Sparks'  Washington,  Vol.  ii.  418.    f  Horn's  History  of  Lehigh  Co.,  p.  23- 


TEE  EARLY  DAYS. 


13 


Their  Laueuage.  The  language  spoken  by  the  Pennsyl- 
"vania  Germans  is  a  slight  variation  of  the  soft  and  beautiful  dialect 
still  prevailing  in  the  Palatinate  (German  " Pfaltz").  This  dia- 
lect in  America  retains  its  gramniatical  forms,  but  has  acquired 
some  additional  idiomatic  features,  and  a  curious  intermixture 
of  English  words  which  have  been  adapted  to  it.  As  a  dialect 
it  holds  a  place  between  High  and  Low  German.  By  many  it  is 
supposed  that  "Pennsylvania  Dutch"  is  merely  a  corrupt  German 
and  English.  The  reader  will  see  that  this  is  not  the  case.  As 
originally  spoken  it  is  one  of  the  finest  and  softest  dialects  of  the 
great  Teutonic  tongue.  Some  fine  works  have  been  published  in 
this  dialect,  notably  those  of  Rev.  H.  Harbaugh,  Prof.  Horn, 
and  Henry  Fisher,  Esq. 

Their  Religious  Condition.  The  German  emigration  to 
Pennsylvania,  as  already  indicated,  was  mainly  the  result  of  relig- 
ious intolerance  in  the  Fatherland.  The  co-religionists  generally 
settled  together.  The  Mennonites  and  Dunkards  mostly  located 
in  Lancaster  county.  The  Schwenkfelders,  most  of  whom  arrived 
iu  1734,*  settled  in  a  section  now  embraced  in  Berks,  Lehigh  and 
Montgomery  counties.  The  Moravians,  under  the  patronage  of 
Count  Zinzendorf,f  settled  in  the  Lehigh  Valley,  in  1741,  and 
founded  the  towns  of  Bethlehem  and  Nazareth.  The  Lutherans 
and  Reformed,  who  were  mostly  Palatinates,  and  formed  the  bulk 
of  emigrants,  spread  themselves  more  generally  over  the  country. 

Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  strong  tide  of  religious  feeling 
which  led  to  this  influx  of  Germans  seems  to  have  subsided  in  a 
great  measure  soon  after  their  establishment  here.  Their  new 
surroundings  may  have  contributed  to  this  condition.  It  became 
a  hand-to-hand  struggle  for  subsistence.  For  more  than  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century  they  had  no  pastors,  and  religious  training  was 
-wofuUy  neglected.  This  statement  has  particular  reference  to 
the  Palatinates. 

*They  came  in  the  ship  St.  Andrew,  Sept.  12,  1734  (Col.  Records  iii.  568). 
Among  them  were  the  Yeakels,  Schuberts,  Huebners,  Kribels,  Hoffmans. 

f  NiKOLAUS  LuDWiG  (Count  Von  Zinzendorf).  Born  1700,  died  1760.  A 
German  nobleman  of  deep  piety.  He  espoused  the  faith  of  the  Moravians, 
■who  were  then  reduced  to  a  mere  handful  through  the  religious  persecutions  then 
prevalent.  He  invited  them  to  settle  on  his  estates,  which  they  did,  and  founded 
the  town  of  Herrnhut.  Z.  was  made  a  minister  and  bishop  of  the  reorganized 
church,  and  thereafter  was  its  leader  until  his  death.  He  established  numerous 
Moravian  colonies.  He  was  the  author  of  more  than  one  hundred  works  in 
prose  and  poetry. 


14  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANIfALS. 


Although  there  were  some  congregations  formed  as  early  as 
1735,  still  the  great  mass  of  the  people  were  strangers  to  the 
sanctuary.  In  1 742  the  noted  Lutheran  divine,  Henry  Melchior 
Muhlenberg,*  was  sent  from  the  Fatherland  to  look  after  the 
spiritual  interests  of  the  Lutherans  in  Pennsylvania.  He  found 
the  spiritual  condition  of  his  countrymen  most  deplorable,  and  in 
letters  published  in  the  Halliche  Nachrichien,  describes  their  con- 
dition in  a  vivid  manner.  In  1746  Rev.  Michael  Schlatter, f 
a  Reformed  minister  from  Switzerland,  came  to  Pennsylvania 
on  a  similar  mission.  His  communications  to  the  home  church 
convey  the  same  sad  story  of  spiritual  decline.  In  1752  there 
were  but  sixteen  Reformed  congregations,  having  regular  pastors, 
in  a  Reformed  population  of  thirty  thousand  souls. 

The  war  of  the  Revolution  likewise  had  a  demoralizing  effect 
on  the  Pennsylvania  Germans.  Intemperance,  especially,  became 
alarmingly  prevalent  among  them.  Their  pastors  seldom  raised 
a  hand  to  stem  this  rising  tide  of  evil.  Many  of  the  clergy  con- 
doned the  use  of  ardent  spirits  and,  alas  !  in  many  instances  were 
themselves  openly  intemperate.  This  was  overlooked  by  their 
people,  who  regarded  it  as  only  a  "Fehler'*  (an  infirmity)  in 
their  preacher,  about  which  it  was  best  not  to  say  anything. 

Beginnings  of  Religious  Revival.  It  is  gratifying  to 
know  that  the  darkness  and  spiritual  ignorance  of  this  period  was 
relieved  by  many  burning  and  shining  lights.  Signs  of  promise 
multiplied,  and  harbingers  of  better  days  everywhere  appeared. 
While  we  would  not  disparage  the  influence  of  the  great  Wesleyan. 
revival  in  England,  and  its  spread  inAmerica  through  the  preaching 
of  that  man  of  God,  George  W hitefield,  still  it  is  a  remarkable 
fact  that  many  conversions  of  prominent  men  were  brought  about 
spontaneously,  a  considerable  number  of  the  ministry  and  laity 
in  nearly  all  denominations  professing  conversion,  and  becoming 

*  Heinrich  Melchior  Muhlenberg,  D.  D.  Born  at  Einbeck,  Germany, 
1711,  died  1787.  A  distinguished  German  divine.  He  was  sent  by  the  Univer- 
sity of  Halle  to  organize  and  promote  the  interests  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in 
America.  He  is  justly  regarded  as  the  founder  of  the  church  in  America.  Several 
of  his  sons  became  men  of  great  distinction.  MUHLENBERG  and  his  sons  were 
great  patriots  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

f  Rev.  Michael  Schlatter.  Bom  in  Switzerland  1716,  died  1790.  Edu- 
cated at  St.  Gall.  Sent  by  the  synods  of  Holland  'to  organize  the  Reformed 
Church  in  Pennsylvania.  In  1 75 1  he  went  to  Europe  and  secured  six  missionaries, 
with  whom  he  returned  to  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  patriot  in  the  war  of  the 
Revolution,  for  which  he  was  imprisoned  by  the  British. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


15 


dissatisfied  with  the  cold  and  formal  worship  of  the  times.  This 
was  the  state  of  affairsabout  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War. 

Among  those  who  cried  aloud  and  spared  not,  was  the  Men- 
nonite  preacher,  Martin  Boehm.*  He  was  brought  to  sec  his 
own  unconverted  state,  and  after  experiencing  God's  saving  grace 
in  his  own  heart,  he  became  a  strong  advocate  and  forcible 
expounder  of  experimental  religion  in  his  church.  His  fearless 
denunciation  of  sin  and  his  views  on  experimental  religion  were 
so  radical  as  to  constitute  a  great  gap  between  him  and  his  corelig- 
ionists. The  spirit  of  toleration  was  then  almost  unknown,  and 
Boehm  was  excluded  from  the  Mennonite  Church.  His  influence, 
however,  was  felt  powerfully  among  the  people  of  that  denomi- 
nation, and  contributed  in  a  marked  degree  to  preparing  the  way 
for  the  great  success  of  later  evangelists. 

A  well  defined  movement  was  also  about  this  time  noticeable 
in  the  Reformed  Church.  William  OTTERBEiN,f  one  of  the 
prominent  preachers  of  that  church,  began  to  preach  Evangelical 
repentance  and  conversion  in  a  very  forcible  manner,  and  made 
profound  impressions.  George  Adam  Guething,  John  G. 
Phruemer,  and  Anthony  Houtz,  all  of  the  Reformed  Church, 
became  earnest  preachers  of  repentance  and  conversion.  The 
two  former  associated  themselves  with  Otterbein  and  Boehm, 
and  became  prominent  ministers  of  the  United  Brethren  Church. 
Mention  should  also  be  made  of  John  Neidig,  of  Dauphin  county, 
Felix  Light,  of  Lebanon  county,  and  Christian  Newcomer.  J 

*  Rev.  Martin  Boehm  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pa.  in  1725.  He 
became  a  Mennonite  preacher  in  1 756.  Five  or  six  years  later  he  was  excluded 
from  that  denomination,  "for  holding  fellowship  with  other  societies  of  a 
different  language."  Thereafter  he  was  an  active  co-worker  in  the  Evangelical 
movement  of  the  times,  and  became  one  of  the  founders  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Christ,  of  which  church  he  was  made  a  bishop  in  1 800.  After  a  long  life  of 
signal  usefulness,  he  died  in  Shenandoah  Valley,  Va.,  in  1812. 

f  Philip  W  illiam  Otterbein.  Born  in  Germany  1726,  died  in  Baltimore, 
Md.,  1813.  Was  one  of  the  Reformed  missionaries  sent  by  the  Holland  Synod  to 
America  in  1752.  Became  pastor  of  a  Reformed  Church  at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  and 
lateral  Baltimore,  Md.  Many  revivals  and  conversions  followed  his  preaching. 
He  was  associated  with  Martin  Boehm,  and  through  their  labors  the  movement 
which  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  United  Brethren  Church  was  brought  about. 

X  Rev.  Christian  Newcomer,  whose  name  occurs  prominently  in  this 
work,  was  a  son  of  Wolfgang  Newcomer,  and  was  born  in  Lancaster  county, 
Pa.,  1749.  He  began  to  preach  in  1787,  and  was  a  member  of  the  first  United 
Brethren  Conference  in  1789.  He  was  elected  as  bishop  of  that  denomination 
in  18 1 8.  He  labored  with  great  zeal  in  that  capacity  until  March  12,  1 830,  when 
he  disd  at  his  home  near  Hagerstown,  Md. 


16  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANWALS. 


Separation  from  the  Old  Churches.  We  have  now  out- 
lined the  beginning  of  the  Reformation  among  the  Pennsylvania 
Germans.  The  churches  for  the  most  part  being  closed  against 
these  men  of  God,  they  were  compelled  to  preach  in  houses  and 
barns  and  on  the  streets.  Hundreds  of  people  opened  their  houses 
as  regular  preaching  places.  There  was,  however,  a  strong  aver- 
sion on  the  part  of  many  against  leaving  the  old  churches  where 
they  had  rendered  their  confirmation  vows.  Many  of  the  laity 
were  excluded  from  the  churches  for  following  after  or  abetting 
the  so-called  "hereiics,"  but  the  churches  soon  discovered  that 
thereby  they  excluded  their  best,  their  graying  people,  and  were 
glad  enough  to  retain  them  if  possible.  Many  of  these  preach- 
ing places  were  open  to  all  preachers  who  were  approved  and 
converted  men  of  God.  Bishop  Newcomer's  journal  reveals  the 
fact  that  he  frequently  preached  at  the  houses  of  persons  who 
had  connected  themselves  with  Albright's  society,  and  the  same 
is  probably  true  of  nearly  all  the  "New  Measure"  preachers  of 
that  day.  Therefore  it  follows  that  because  some  prominent 
member  of  the  old  churches  opened  his  house  as  a  regular  preach- 
ing place,  we  must  not  at  once  conclude  that  he  left  his  church. 
The  converted  people  of  the  various  churches  often  met  as  an 
unorganized  society — if  such  an  expression  is  allowable — calling 
themselves  "Brethren."  Later  they  became  "The  United  Breth- 
ren. "  Still  later,  when  the  number  of  those  professing  conversion 
was  considerable,  it  became  quite  common  to  speak  of  them  as 
a  class,  as  "die  bekehrte  Leut"  (the  converted  people),  and  the 
adherents  of  the  old  churches  as  "die  Kirche  leut"  (the  church 
people). 

While  it  is  an  undeniable  fact  that  the  spirit  of  sectarianism  is 
an  evil  in  the  Christian  church,  it  is  also  true  that  the  lack  of 
organization  and  administrative  powers  is  an  evil  equally  deplor- 
able. At  first  view  there  is  something  noble  in  the  thought  of 
coming  out  and  standing  aloof  from  a  cold  and  dead  church,  and 
seeking  the  genial  warmth  of  true  devotion  burning  on  other  altars, 
but  this  spirit  of  independence  and  non-allegiance  to  church 
organization  is  found  to  be  an  evil  in  practice.  It  weakens  the 
incentives  to  support  the  cause  of  the  church,  her  ministry,  her 
ordinances  and  her  work.  This  fact  soon  became  apparent  to 
the  many  gospel  workers  of  the  various  denominations  who  for 
several  years  had  labored  independently  of  the  denominations 
with  which  they  were  formally  connected.    In  1789  a  number 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


17 


of  them,  under  the  leadership  of  Boehm,  Otterbein,  and  others, 
connected  themselves  together  under  the  name  of  "The  United 
Brethren  in  Christ."  It  does  not  seem  that  a  separate  church 
organization  was  at  first  contemplated,  but  the  hostility  of  the 
old  church  against  this  movement  drew  the  converted  ministry 
and  laity  more  closely  together,  which  necessarily  developed  into 
denominational  organization.  A  large  number,  however,  remained 
independent  of  any  organization. 

A  remarkable  incident  relating  to  this  subject  is  worthy  of 
record.  In  the  early  ministry  of  John  Seybert,  (afterwards 
bishop,)  he  had  an  extensive  revival  near  the  Black  Oak  Hill, 
Lebanon  county.  Pa.,  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Joseph 
Kreider,*  at  which  the  noted  Felix  Light,  was  present.  Light 
had  been  a  prominent  Mennonite,  but  after  his  conversion  he, 
with  many  others,  stood  aloof  from  churches.  Seybert  urged 
the  converts  to  hold  together,  and  showed  the  necessity  and  advan- 
tages of  organization.  Light  astonished  the  assembly  by  arising 
and  contradicting  the  advice  of  Seybert  and  spoke  against  the 
formation  of  a  class,  to  which  little  attention  was  paid. 

Rise  of  the  Evangelical  Assoclatiou.  In  the  religious 
movements  which  we  have  outlined,  the  Evangelical  Association 
also  took  its  rise.  The  establishment  of  our  Zion  was  not  the 
result  of  disruption,  or  secession  from  any  of  the  old  denomina- 
tions. Neither  is  it  the  result  of  a  difference  in  faith  or  church 
polity,  but  it  represents,  as  its  name  indicates,  a  revival  of  the 
evangelical  or  spiritual  element,  which  existed  only  in  the  creeds, 
but  not  iu  the  practice  of  the  German  churches  of  that  day. 
Herein  we  see  her  standpoint  and  distinctive  features  as  a  church. 
Should  the  Evangelical  Association  ever  lose  sight  of  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  her  existence,  namely,  the  conversion  of 
sinners  to  Christ  and  the  building  up  of  God's  people  in  true 
holiness  of  heart,  then  may  it  be  truthfully  said,  there  is  no  apol- 
ogy for  her  existence.  That  such  a  stage  should  ever  be  reached, 
may  God  forbid ! 


The  Evangelical  Association  has  no  connection  whatever  with 
any  of  the  more  recently  established  churches  in  America.  Her 
origin  and  development  were  entirely  independent  of  them  all. 
Her's  was  a  growth  by  accretion,  brought  about  by  instrumental- 
ities of  her  own,  which  were  blessed  and  owned  of  God  in  the 

•Near  Palmyra,  Pa.  He  died  in  1 878,  aged  eighty-four  years.  His  place 
was  for  many  years  an  important  point. 


18  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


conversion  of  souls.    We  have  already  seen  how  for  some  time 

the  new  measure  preachers  labored  side  by  side  without  formal 
organization,  and  with  them  the  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation. But  in  its  organization  and  subsequent  development 
there  does  not  seem  to  have  been  much  material  except  that  which 
Jacob  Albright  and  his  co-laborers  could  properly  call  iheir  own. 
This  of  course  has  reference  to  the  fruits  of  their  labors.  Most 
of  the  members  of  the  original  classes  were  the  spiritual  children 
of  Albright  and  his  assistants,  as  will  appear  to  every  candid 
reader  of  the  subsequent  details  of  their  labors  in  this  work. 

Conversion  of  Albright.  In  1790  Jacob  Albright,  who 
then  lived  in  West  Cocalico  township,  Lancaster  county,  Pa., 
lost  several  of  his  children  by  death.  On  the  occasion  of  their 
burial  Rev.  Anthony  Hautz,*  a  Reformed  minister  already 
referred  to,  officiated.  The  word  spoken  had  the  elf  ect  of  bringing 
Albright  into  a  penitent  condition.  He  failed,  however,  to  find 
peace,  and  after  many  months  of  prayerful  seeking  he  was  brought 
to  the  verge  of  despair.  Not  very  far  from  him  lived  a  minister 
named  Adam  Riegel,  who,  like  many  others  of  his  day,  stood 
independent  of  the  churches.  To  this  man  Albright  went  for 
counsel  and  help  after  having  been  in  the  deepest  spiritual  distress 
for  over  a  year.  The  Sun  of  Righteousness  then  arose  upon  him 
with  healing  in  his  wings,  and  he  was  converted  in  the  house  of 
Riegel,  in  1792,  and  together  they  subsequently  enjoyed  many 
happy  hours  in  Christian  communion  and  devotion. 

We  have  already  noticed  the  aversion  of  the  early  German 
converts  to  a  separate  church  organization,  a  feeling  in  which 
Albright  did  not  share.  He  felt  the  need  of  a  church  home  in 
which  he  could  serve  God  according  to  his  new  light  and  experi- 
ence. He  therefore  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
a  class  of  which  had  been  established  in  his  locality.  This,  on 
the  whole,  may  be  regarded  as  a  fortunate  circumstance,  inasmuch 
as  he  found  not  only  congenial  Christian  fellowship,  but  also 
opportunities  for  the  free  exercise  of  the  gifts  with  which  he  was 


*  Rev.  Anthony  Hautz,  a  deeply  spiritual  Reformed  minister  and  faithful 
preacher  of  experimental  religion  was  licensed  as  a  Reformed  preacher  in  1787, 
was  a  co-worker,  with  the  independent  brethren,  but  never  withdrew  from  his 
church.  Because  he  advocated  the  New  Measures  "  he  came  in  conflict  with 
his  conservative  parishioners,  and  changed  charges  a  number  of  times  ;  finally  he 
removed,  in  1804,  to  the  state  of  New  York.  Here  he  died  in  Grotoii  township, 
Tompkins  county,  in  1830,  at  an  advanced  age. 


THE  EARLY  DAT^i. 


19 


naturally  endowed.  Although  a  German,  so  well  did  his  Metho- 
dist brethren  think  of  Albright  that  they  granted  him  license  as 
an  exhorter.  After  laboring  in  this  capacity  for  some  time,  he 
felt  the  inward  call  to  the  holy  ministry.  The  difficulties  in  the 
way,  however,  seemed  insurmountable.  The  church  with  which 
he  was  connected  was  English  in  language,  while  the  people  with 
whom  his  labors  as  a  minister  could  be  successful,  were  German. 
After  much  fasting  and  prayer,  he  finally  determined  to  enter  the 
gospel  field  as  an  independent  evangelist,  and  labor  among  his 
German  countrymen,  in  the  full  belief  that  God  had  called  him 
to  this  work,  and  would  open  the  way  for  him.  Albright  never 
withdrew  from  the  Methodist  Church,  neither  was  he  excluded. 
His  membership  simply  lapsed  when  his  sphere  of  usefulness  was 
enlarged  from  the  exhorter  to  the  itinerant  preacher. 

Beslunlus  of  Albright's  Ministry.  In  1796  Albright 
started  on  his  first  evangelistic  tour,  which,  as  he  himself  says, 
embraced  a  portion  of  Maryland  and  Virginia  and  the  interior  of 
Pennsylvania.  The  first  definite  account  we  have  of  his  labors 
refers  to  October  of  this  same  year,  when  he  preached  at  the  mar- 
ket house  at  Shafferstown,  Lebanon  county.  Pa.,  on  the  occasion 
of  the  dedication  of  the  new  Reformed  Church  at  that  place. 
It  is  exceedingly  difficult  to  gain  definite  information  of  his  early 
labors,  for  the  reason  ^ready  advanced,  that  he  doubtless  preached 
at  many  places  where  all  godly  ministers  were  alike  welcome. 
The  first  tangible  results  of  his  work,  so  far  as  we  know,  appear 
in  the  eastern  part  of  Berks  county,  near  the  Colebrookdale  iron 
works.  Here  he  preached  at  Samuel  Lieser's,  and  Abraham 
and  Joseph  Buchwalter's.  At  Quakertown,  Bucks  county, 
eighteen  miles  northeast  of  this,  he  preached  at  Peter  Walter's 
and  Charles  Bissey's.  In  Penn  township,  Schuylkill  county, 
he  preached  regularly  at  Leonhart  Zimmerman's.  In  North- 
ampton county,  along  the  Blue  mountains,  he  preached  at  the 
houses  of  George  Phillips  and  his  sons,  Conrad  and  Jacob,  and 
Jacob  Reidy.  In  what  is  now  Lebanon  county,  near  Jonestown, 
he  preached  at  the  house  of  Ludwig  Zehring.  At  the  foregoing 
places  he  preached  prior  to  1800.  The  persons  named,  with  their 
families,  were  his  first  fruits  in  the  ministry,  and  loved  him  as 
their  spiritual  father.  As  the  number  of  the  converts  through 
his  ministry  increased,  he  clearly  saw  the  necessity  of  organizing 
them  into  classes.  This  he  did  in  1800,  when  his  adherents  num- 
bered about  twenty. 


20  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATIOir  ANNALS. 


The  Jirst  class  was  formed  on  the  Ridge,  three  miles  east  of 
Quakertown,  Bucks  county,  and  consisted  of  Charles  Bissey 
and  wife,  and  Peter  Walter  with  his  wife  and  family.  Peter 
Walter  was  the  leader  of  the  class.  The  second  class  was  formed 
about  twenty  miles  southwest,  at  the  Colebrookdale  iron  works, 
in  Berks  county,  and  consisted  of  Samuel  Liesser,  his  wife  and 
several  children,  Abraham  Buchwalter  and  wife,  and  Joseph 
Buchwalter  and  wife.  Samuel  Liesser  was  leader.  The  ^/ii'rd 
class  was  formed  along  the  Blue  mountains,  in  Hamilton  town- 
ship, Northampton  county,  and  consisted  of  father  George 
Phillips  and  his  two  sons,  Conrad  and  Jacob,  and  their  wives, 
Jacob  Riedy  and  wife,  Phillip  Miller  and  wife,  and  Barbara 
Hecht.    Conrad  Phillips  was  leader. 

First  Co-laborers  of  Albright.    After  laboring  alone  in 
the  vineyard  for  a  period  of  about  five  years,  the  Lord  gave  his 
servant,  Jacob  Albright,  an  assistant,  in  the  person  of  John 
Walter,  son  of  Peter  Walter,  the  first  class-leader.  This 
young  man  entered  the  Evangelical  work  in  1802,  and  became 
noted  for  his  untiring  zeal  and  powerful  eloquence.    From  his 
biography  and  the  numerous  references  to  him  in  this  work,  the 
reader  will  perceive  that  he  was  a  man  of  brilliant  talents ;  whose 
oratorical  powers  have  never  been  excelled  iu  the  history  of  the 
Association.    The  following  year,  1803,  another  young  brother 
entered  the  work.    This  was  Abraham  Liesser,  son  of  father 
Samuel  Liesser,  of  Colebrookdale,  Berks  county.    He  was  a 
young  man  of  mild  and  quiet  disposition,  zealously  devoted  to 
the  saving  of  souls,  but  does  not  seem  to  have  possessed  a  strong 
bodily  constitution.    In  1805  he  broke  down  altogether  and  died 
the  same  year.     In  1804  Alexander  Jemison,  of  Lancaster 
county,  entered  the  active  work.    The  following  year,  however, 
he  located,  after  which  but  very  little  is  known  of  him.    In  1 805 
George  Miller  entered  the  itinerancy  and  eventually  became 
the  leader  of  the  Association.     Iu  1806  the  number  was  not 
increased.    In  1807  John  Dreisbach,  of  Buffalo  Valley,  in  Union 
county,  and  Jacob  Frey,  of  Middle  Creek  Valley,  in  (now) 
Snyder  county,  entered  the  work.    The  former  became  in  course 
of  time  the  leading  man  of  the  church.    John  Erb,  of  Conestoga, 
Lancaster  county,  began  to  preach  in  Albright's  time,  was 
received  on  trial  in  1808,  and  became  a  very  useful  man.  The 
foregoing  brethren  etitered  the  ministry  under  the  supervision 
of  the  founder  of  the  church. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


21 


Of  local  preachers  of  this  period  it  is  doubtful  whether  all  the 
names  of  those  who  exercised  the  office,  and  were  recognized  as 
such,  can  be  definitely  ascertained.  Several  of  the  names  given 
below  do  not  appear  on  the  records  of  the  church,  but  of  their 
license  as  local  preachers  there  is  no  doubt.  In  1806  the  office 
of  local  preacher  was  established  in  the  society.  The  first  to  be 
received  were  the  following :  Charles  Bissey,  of  Quakertown, 
Bucks  county;  Jacob  Phillips,  of  Northampton  county,  and 
Solomon  Miller,  brother  of  Rev.  George  Miller.  The  great 
revival  on  the  new  circuit,  in  1806,  almost  doubled  the  mem- 
bership of  the  society.  The  number  of  local  preachers  was  also 
increased  as  follows:  In  1807  Christopher  Spangler  accom- 
panied John  Dreisbach  to  attend  the  first  conference  of  the 
church.  Spangler,  at  this  conference,  received  license  to 
preach,*  and  for  half  a  century  was  a  pillar  in  the  church.  John 
Thomas,  Jr.,  of  Mifflin  county  (died  in  Wayne  county,  O.,  1837), 
whose  license  was  given  him  by  ALBRiGHX.f  Christian  Wolf, 
of  Derrstown  (now  Lewisburg,  Union  county),  who  removed 
to  Seneca  county.  New  York,  1807,  and  died  1833.  Besides  the 
above,  mention  should  also  be  made  of  Michael  Maize  and 
Henry  Niebel,  of  Dry  Valley,  Union  county,  and  Matthias 
Betz,  of  Millheim,  Centre  county.  These  brethren  without  doubt 
began  to  preach  in  Albright's  time,  Niebel  and  Betz  entering 
the  active  work  immediately  after  the  founder's  death  (1808). 

Biographies  of  nearly  all  the  co-workers  of  Albright  will  be 
found  in  subsequent  chapters.  They  were  men  of  untiring  zeal, 
and  willing  to  endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ 
(II.  Tim.  ii.  3).  Amid  many  privations  and  disappointments 
they  laid  the  foundations  of  our  Evangelical  Zion. 

Pentecostal  Meeting.  The  first  meeting  of  Albright  and 
his  adherents,  of  which  we  have  any  knowledge,  was  held  when 
he  had  but  four  male  followers,  of  whom  Charles  Bissey  J  was 
one.  The  names  of  the  others  are  not  known.  The  place  and 
time  of  the  meeting  are  also  unknown,  but  the  time  must  have 
been  soon  after  he  began  his  ministry.  The  object  was  to  seek 
a  closer  union  with  God,  and  to  pray  together  for  the  power  of 

♦Letter  of  Dreisbach  in  "Chr.  Botschaf ter, "  1843,  p.  189. 
f  Orwig's  History  of  the  Ev.  Association,  p.  219. 

\  This  fact  was  given  in  a  historical  address  at  the  General  Conference  at 
Allentown,  Pa.,  in  1883,  by  Rev.  Henry  Stetzel,  who  had  obtained  his  infor- 
mation from  Charles  Bissey. 


22 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS, 


the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Lord  blessed  them  in  a  wonderful  manner, 
and  the  meeting  no  doubt  proved  a  great  encouragement  to 
Albright  and  his  little  band. 

First  General  Assembly.  After  Albright  had  labored 
in  the  gospel  ministry  about  six  years,  it  was  felt  necessary  to  give 
a  more  definite  and  formal  recognition  of  his  call  and  work. 
Hence  a  general  Council  Assembly  was  called,  which  met  Nov.  3, 
1803,  at  Samuel  Liesser's.*  Besides  Albright  and  his  two 
assistants,  John  Walter  and  Abraham  Liesser,  there  were  pres- 
ent the  following  brethren :  Jacob  Phillips,  George  Miller, 
Carl  Bissev,  Conrad  Phillips,  John  Brobst,  Solomon  W. 
Frederici,  Chr.  Brobst,  George  Phillips,  Michael  Brobst, 
Samuel  Liesser,  Peter  Walter,  Adam  Miller,  Jacob  Riedv 
and  Solomon  Miller.  This  assembly  transacted  the  following 
important  business : 

1.  An  ecclesiastical  organization  was  effected  by  the  adoption 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  guide  and  rule  of  faith. 

2.  Jabob  Albright  was  declared  to  be  a  minister  of  the  gos- 
pel in  the  full  sense  of  the  term  and  recognized  as  their  spiritual 
father  and  teacher. 

3.  He  was  solemnly  ordained  as  such  by  the  laying  on  of  hands; 

4.  And  was  given  a  license  or  commission,  of  which  the  fol- 
lowing is  a  close  translation  : 

'■^  From  the  Elders  and  Brethren  of  His  Society  of  Evangelical  Friends. 

We,  the  undersigned  Evangelical  and  Christian  friends,  declare  and  recog- 
nize Jacob  Albright  as  a  genuine  (IVahrhaftigen)  Evangelical  preacher,  in 
word  and  deed,  and  a  believer  in  the  Universal  Christian  Church  and  the  commun- 
ion of  saints.  This  testify  we  as  brethren  and  elders  of  his  society  (Gemeinde). 
Given  in  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  Nov.  5,  1803." 

The  document  was  signed  by  Albright's  two  colleagues, 
Walter  and  Liesser,  and  the  fourteen  laymen  mentioned. 

Second  Assembly.  Some  time  between  1805  'and  1807 
another  council  was  held  in  the  house  of  George  Becker,  of  the 
Muehlbach.  Of  this  meeting  there  is  no  record  whatever ;  but  that 
it  was  held,  is  substantiated  by  the  testimony  of  two  daughters  of 
George  Becker  who  were  present,  namely,  Mrs.  Gockley  and 
Mrs.  Catharine  Klinefelter,  the  wife  of  Rev.  John  Kline- 
felter. Some  time  prior  to  their  death  they  made  definite 
statements  relative  to  the  assembly,  Mrs.  Gockley  especially 


*This  statement  of  the  place  is  according  to  the  testimony  of  John 
Dreisbacu. 


THE  EARL7  DAYS. 


23 


having  a  vivid  recollection  of  it.  Mother  Elizabeth  Stump,  a 
daughter  of  Samuel  Becker,  in  whose  house  the  first  conference 
was  held  in  1807,  related  to  the  author  that  she  frequently  heard 
her  relatives,  including  her  uncle,  George  Becker,  speak  of  the 
council  at  the  house  of  the  latter. 

First  Couferetice.  The  first  regular  conference  was  held 
in  November,  1807,  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Becker,  on  the 
Muehlbach,  Lebanon  county,  a  few  miles  east  of  Shaeferstown. 
With  this  conference  the  official  history  of  the  Association  prop- 
erly begins. 


CHAPTER  li. 


THE  "OLD  CIRCUIT." 
An  Account  of  the  First  Field  of  Labor,  Commonly  Called 

"SCHOTLKILL  AND  LANCASTER  CiRCUIt"  ItS  PrEACHING 

Places  and  Classes  as  Established  by  Rev.  Jacob  Al- 
bright AND  His  Co-Laborers,  with  Copious  Biographical 
Notes. 

We  have  already  in  a  previous  chapter  noted  the  beginning 
of  Jacob  Albright's  ministry.  In  this  chapter  we  will  seek  to 
give  a  description  of  the  first  field  of  labor,  with  an  account  of 
its  preaching  places,  and  the  noble  families  who,  in  the  face  of 
great  persecution,  opened  their  homes  to  the  founder  of  the 
church  and  his  co-laborers.  In  doing  this  it  will,  however,  be 
impossible  to  follow  the  work  in  the  order  of  its  establishment, 
as  that  plan  would  necessitate  a  frequent  recurrence  to  the  same 
locality.  The  number  of  preaching  places  on  the  old  circuit, 
prior  to  Albright's  death  (1808),  was  upwards  of  sixty.  In 
their  enumeration  we  deem  it  proper  to  begin  with  the  locality  in 
which  the  first  class  was  organized. 

Bucks  County.  On  the  rocky  ridge,  about  three  miles  east 
of  Quakertown,  Bucks  county,  Albright  was  received  by  Peter 
Walter  and  Carl  Bissey. 

Peter  Walter,  who  lived  in  Rockland  township,  three  miles 
east  of  Quakertown,  was  the  father  of  a  large  family,  nearly  all 
of  whom  were  grown  when  Albright  first  visited  them,  and  so  far 
as  can  be  ascertained,  Walter  was  one  of  the  very  first  to  asso- 
ciate himself  with  Albright.  In  the  year  1800,  when  Albright 
decided  to  organize  his  spiritual  children  into  classes,  he  began 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


25 


here,  and  father  Walter  was  made  leader  of  the  first  class  of  the 
Evangelical  Association.  In  the  year  1805  he  and  his  entire 
family  removed  to  the  Swatara  Creek,  near  Jonestown  (now), 
Lebanon  county.  In  that  connection  the  reader  will  find  a 
further  account  of  him  and  his  family. 

Carl  Bissey,  of  Richland  township,  lived  three  miles  north  of 
Walter,  and  was  also  one  of  the  first  adherents,  and  was  promi- 
nent in  the  early  days  of  the  society.  He  was  present  at  the 
council  assembly  of  1803,  and  became  one  of  the  first  local 
preachers  of  the  church.  In  this  capacity  he  rendered  good 
service  until  his  death,  Oct.  20,  1847,  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
five  years. 

Northatupton  County.  Along  the  southern  slope  of  the 
Blue  Mountains,  in  Hamilton  township,  Northampton  county, 
was  organized  the  third  class  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in 
the  year  1800.  The  first  to  open  their  houses  to  Albright  as 
preaching  places,  prior  to  the  organization  of  the  class,  were 
father  George  Phillips  and  his  sons,  Conrad  and  Jacob,  Jacob 
RiEDY  and  Adam  Miller,  all  of  whom  were  present  at  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  1803.  The  following  were  the  members  of  the 
class :  Father  George  Phillips  and  wife,  Conrad  Phillips  and 
wife,  Jacob  Phillips  and  wife,  Peter  and  Jacob  Riedy  and 
their  wives,  Philip  Miller  and  wife,  Adam  Miller  and  wife 
and  Barbara  Hecht.    Conrad  Phillips  was  the  class  leader. 

In  the  fall  of  1802  Jacob  Albright  held  the  third  general 
meeting  of  the  society  at  Conrad  Phillips',  and  was  assisted  by 
John  Walter,  his  first  fruits  for  the  ministry.  This  meeting 
was  attended  by  George  and  Solomon  Miller,  who  at  this  time 
publicly  identified  themselves  with  the  work  of  Albright,  and 
soon  became  very  efficient  instruments  in  the  establishment  and 
promotion  of  the  society. 

Jacob  Phillips  became  one  of  the  first  local  preachers  of  the 
society.    He  died  in  the  prime  of  life,  in  1809. 

In  181 1  Conrad  Phillips  removed  to  Dry  Valley,  in  Union 
county,  where  his  house  became  a  prominent  preaching  place. 
Here  he  died  in  181 6,  and  his  aged  father,  who  had  removed 
with  him,  died  in  1822. 

Adam  Miller  was  one  of  the  first  converts  under  Albright 

Note. — Catharine  Hecht  died  in  1808,  leaving  a  bequest  of  $100  to  the 
society,  which  was  the  first  it  received.  This  was  considered  a  large  amount  at 
that  time,  and  was  added  to  the  fund  for  the  support  of  the  preachers. 


26 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


in  Northampton  county.  In  the  early  part  of  the  century  he 
removed  to  Crawford  county,  O.,  where  he  died  in  1848,  aged 
eighty-one  years. 

Berks  County.  At  the  Colebrookdale  iron  works  near  the 
eastern  line  of  Berks  county,  Rev.  Jacob  Albright  found  some 
open  doors  in  the  very  beginning  of  his  ministry,  and  here  formed 
his  second  class  in  1800.  The  men  who  received  him  and  opened 
their  houses  as  preaching  places  were  the  following  :  Samuel 
LiESSER,  who  with  his  family  was  converted  through  the  labors 
of  Albright  and  became  the  leader  of  the  class  that  bore  his 
name.  His  son  Abraham  became  Albright's  second  assistant 
in  1803.  Father  Liesser  was  widely  known  as  a  man  of  exem- 
plary piety.  At  his  house  Albright  held  his  first  "general 
meeting  "*  in  June  1802.  Brother  Liesser  died  in  the  early  part 
of  the  century.  His  wife  Anna  died  in  1838,  at  the  ripe  age  of 
eighty-two  years. 

Abraham!  Joseph  Buchwalter  and  their  families  also 
became  adherents  of  Albright.  They  were  Mennonites  in  faith 
but  became  dissatisfied  with  the  cold  and  formal  worship  of  their 
society,  and  cast  their  lot  with  the  persecuted  "converted  peo- 
ple."  The  BucHWALTERS  were  men  of  deep  piety  and  sterling 
worth,  and  quite  prominent  in  the  community.  In  1820  they 
removed  to  Ross  county,  O.,  where  they  were  among  the  first  to 
receive  the  Evangelical  preachers.  John  Buchwalter,  a  son 
of  Abraham,  married  to  a  sister  of  Rev.  John  Dreisbach,  also 
removed  to  Ross  county  in  1827,  and  his  house  was  for  years  a 
preaching  place. 

In  Albany  township,  almost  surrounded  by  the  Blue  Moun- 
tains, lived  a  very  wealthy  man  named  Michael  Brobst.  He 
was  an  iron  master,  and  his  furnace  and  two  forges  stood  in  the 
very  heart  of  the  valley.  His  landed  possessions  comprised  over 
10,000  acres.  About  the  year  1800  his  daughters,  Magdalena 
and  Maria,  married  George  and  Solomon  Miller  respectively. 

♦"General  meetings "  were  meetings  held  at  irregular  intervals  in  various 
parts  of  the  society.  They  usually  began  on  Saturday,  and  continued  over  the 
Sabbath.  As  the  work  became  more  established,  these  meetings  gave  way  to 
the  "quarterly  meetings." 

■(■Abraham  Buchwalter  was  born  in  Berks  county,  Pa.,  1761,  and  died  in 
Ross  county,  O.,  1837.  Barbara,  his  wife,  born  1 764,  died  in  Ross  county,  O., 
1868,  aged  102  years.  Their  son  John,  who  served  1812  in  the  ministry,  born 
1787,  died  1872.  His  wife  Susanna  (Dreisbach)  born  1793,  died  1881.  Joseph 
Buchwalter,  born  1767,  died  1838. 


THE  EARLT  DATS. 


27 


The  Millers,  with  their  wives,  were  soon  afterwards  converted 
through  the  labors  of  Jacob  Albright,  which  greatly  incensed 
Mr.  Brobst,  who  was  a  strict  adherent  of  the  old  churches. 
Soon  after  the  conversion  of  the  Millers  the  three  sons  of 
Brobst  were  also  converted.  Circumstances  point  to  father 
Zimmerman's  house  as  the  place  of  their  conversion.  Their 
names  were  John,  Michael  and  Christian.  They  were  all  pres- 
ent at  the  Council  Assembly  of  1803,  and  their  names  are  on  the 
instrument  declaring  Albright  a  gospel  minister.  Of  Christian 
nothing  can  be  learned,  and  it  is  probable  that  he  died  prior  to 
his  father.  John  and  Michael  lived  on  the  estate  and  were  con- 
nected with  the  business  of  their  father,  and  at  his  death  inherited 
the  vast  estate,  but  through  circumstances  not  necessary  to  detail 
here,  lost  their  possessions  in  after  years.  The  homes  of  John 
and  Michael  were  regular  preaching  places  for  Albright  and 
his  co-workers  from  1803.  The  home  of  John  is  especially 
worthy  of  note  from  the  fact  that  here  at  a  general  meeting,  held 
on  Easter  day,  1808,  Albright  stationed  his  preachers  for  the 
last  iime. 

Northwest  of  Reading,  along  the  Tulpehocken,  Albright 
and  co-laborers  found  entrance  at  an  early  day.  The  home  of 
father  Peter  Dundore  was  the  chief  preaching  place.  A  class 
was  formed  here  in  1806.  In  1809  an  extensive  revival  occurred 
in  this  region  and  a  considerable  ingathering  took  place.  Among 
the  converts  at  this  time  were  George  LANTZ,who  entered  the  min- 
istry in  1820,  and  Lewis  Henkey,  who  became  a  local  preacher 
in  1828.  Later  he  removed  to  Summit  county,  O.,  where  he 
was  an  Evangelical  pioneer,  and  where  he  died  in  1873,  aged 
83  years.  The  Miesse  family  were  also  members  on  the  Tulpe- 
hocken, and  later  removed  to  Ohio,  where  they  became  strong 
supporters  of  the  work,  and  some  of  the  younger  members  later 
became  ministers. 

About  1823  the  Evangelical  preachers  were  received  by  John 
Tobias,  Sr.,  and  his  wife,  Mary  Elizabeth,  who  lived  on  the 
Tulpehocken,  about  six  miles  from  Reading.  A  great  revival 
began  here  in  this  year,  and  many  souls  were  converted  at  his 
house,  among  whom  were  his  sons,  John,  Jr.,  Benjamin,  Peter, 
Abraham,  David,  Samuel,  Daniel  and  Henry,  who  in  later 
years  became  pillars  in  the  church.  In  1832  father  Tobias 
removed  to  a  locality  six  miles  north  of  Circleville,  O.,  where 
the  family  again  received  the  preachers  and  were  instrumental  in 


28  EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


the  establishment  of  a  church.  Here  father  Tobias  died  Aug. 
23,  1847,  aged  seventy-eight  years,  three  months  and  fourteen 
days.  His  last  words  were,  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth.* 
Mother  Tobias  survived  a  number  of  years.  In  course  of  time 
most  of  the  sons  removed  to  Illinois.  Samuel  entered  the  min- 
istry in  1826,  preached  many  years  in  Pennsylvania  and  Illinois, 
and  died  at  Naperville,  111.,  in  1890.  Daniel  entered  the  min- 
istry in  1833  and  died  the  following  year  while  serving  Wooster 
circuit.  David  was  a  local  preacher.  Of  grandsons  the  following 
entered  the  ministry  :  Benjamin  Franklin,  son  of  Benjamin, 
died  in  the  ministry  of  the  Ohio  Conference ;  Simon  A.  and  L. 
B.,  sons  of  John  Jr.,  entered  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  J.  H., 
a  son  of  Peter,  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Kansas  Conference. 

In  Bern  township,  along  the  southern  slope  of  the  Blue 
Mountains,  in  Berks  county,  Albright  and  his  associates  gained 
entrance  prior  to  1805,  and  a  class  was  formed  here  about  this 
year.  The  preaching  places  were  at  father  Levergood's,  Val- 
entine Brobst's,  John  Miller,  Sr. 's  (see  Miller  family),  and 
father  Jacob  Kline's.  The  latter  resided  about  four  miles  west 
of  Shoemakersville.  All  the  foregoing  were  men  of  means  and 
high  standing  in  their  respective  communities.  They  had  been 
connected  with  the  old  churches,  and  when  they  opened  their 
houses  as  preaching  places  for  the  expounders  of  Evangelical 
truth,  they  became  the  objects  of  ridicule  and  persecution,  yet 
they  stood  like  pillars  of  light  in  that  region  of  moral  darkness. 
Camp-meetings  were  held  at  father  Levergood's  at  an  early  day. 
In  later  times  the  families  of  Earnst  and  Loose  became  strong 
pillars  in  this  section. 

Near  the  gap  where  the  Schuylkill  River  forces  its  way  through 
the  Blue  Mountains,  is  the  town  of  Hamburgh.  Here  Albright 
was  entertained  by  a  merchant  named  Diehl.  In  1801,  when 
passing  through,  he  asked  permission  of  Diehl  to  preach  at  his 
house,  but  the  latter  said  it  was  hardly  a  suitable  time,  as  there 
was  a  "frolic"  in  progress  at  the  tavern  not  far  away.  A  mill 
stood  in  close  proximity  to  the  tavern,  at  the  front  of  which  was 
a  worn-out  millstone.  Albright  obtained  permission  from  the 
proprietor  to  mount  the  stone  and  preach.  A  multitude  soon 
gathered,  to  whom  he  delivered  a  heart-searching  address.  As  it 
had  the  effect  of  breaking  up  the  frolic,  the  tavern-keeper  became 
incensed  at  Albright  and  attempted  to  punish  him  with  a  whip. 
George  Miller,  who  a  few  years  later  was  converted  and  became 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


29 


a  co-laborer  with  Albright,  was  at  this  time  engaged  in  working 
at  the  mill,  and  received  impressions  which  came  to  an  early 
fruitage. 

Some  time  later  Albright  and  his  co-laborers  began  to  preach 
in  a  small  school-house  in  the  town,  but  because  of  opposition  the 
work  made  but  little  progress  for  years. 

A  Wayside  Meeting.  In  1812  an  officer  who  had  died  in 
the  war  with  England  then  in  progress,  was  brought  to  his  home 
in  Hamburg  for  interment.  To  this  funeral,  which  was  attended 
with  considerable  demonstrations,  Mrs.  Saylor,  of  Orwigsburg, 
came,  accompanied  by  her  son,  Joseph  M.  Saylor,  who  was 
then  a  boy  of  nine  years  of  age.  The  town  was  full  of  people 
who  had  come  to  witness  the  obsequies  of  the  dead  officer.  The 
attention  of  the  mother  and  son  was  attracted  by  a  crowd  gath- 
ered around  a  man  who  was  holding  a  religious  service  on  the 
pavement.  The  mother  drew  near  and  with  close  attention  lis- 
tened for  the  first  time  to  an  Evangelical  preacher,  who  was  none 
other  than  George  Miller,  who  eleven  years  before  had  first 
heard  Albright  preach  from  the  millstone,  a  few  hundred  yards 
away.  Miller  was  at  this  time  the  chief  man  in  the  society. 
An  incident  which  impressed  itself  upon  the  mind  of  the  little  boy 
was  that  of  a  man  who  took  off  his  hat  and  reverently  bowed  his 
head  when  Miller  kneeled  on  the  pavement  in  prayer,  while  all 
the  rest  of  the  hearers  kept  on  their  hats  and  laughed  and  talked 
in  a  disrespectful  manner. 

The  Bertoletts*  Near  Friedensburg,  in  Oley  township, 
Berks  county,  is  the  old  home  of  the  Bertoletts.  In  1726  Jean 
Bertolett,  a  French  Huguenot,  of  Chartien  Duise,  Switzerland, 
with  his  wife  Susanna  and  five  children,  was  compelled  to  flee 
from  his  home  because  of  religious  persecution.  He  settled  in 
Oley,  Pa.,  and  many  of  his  descendants  became  members  of  the 
Evangelical  Association.  In  1735  son  Abraham  married 
Esther  DeTurk,  through  whom  he  came  in  possession  of  the 
estate  still  owned  by  the  Bertoletts  at  Friedensburg.  In  1736 
he  built  a  stone  house  which  is  still  standing,  and  is  one  of  the 
most  interesting  landmarks  of  the  church.  In  course  of  time 
Daniel  Bertolett,  a  grandson  of  Abraham,  came  in  possession 
of  the  estate.  He,  like  his  ancestors,  was  noted  for  his  inde- 
pendence of  thought  and  thrifty  habits.  When  still  young  he 
became  dissatisfied  with  the  dead  formality  of  the  churches,  and 
became  an  earnest  inquirer  after  spiritual  life,  and  through  a 


30  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


providential  circumstance  became  acquainted  with  the  Evangel- 
ical Association. 

In  1809  a  traveler  stopped  at  the  Bertolett  home  and  asked 
for  dinner,  which  was  cheerfully  given  him.  He  was  young, 
entertaining  in  his  manners  and  made  a  favorable  impression. 
Soon  after  this  he  stopped  again,  this  time  feeding  his  horse. 
Bertolett  was  naturally  curious  to  know  his  name  and  business, 
but  not  until  the  stranger  had  mounted  his  horse  and  was  ready 
to  proceed  on  his  journey  did  he  ask  him.  The  reply  was,  "I  am 
John  Walter,  and  my  business  is  to  -preach  the  gospel  to  rich 
and  poor  wherever  doors  are  opened  to  receive  me."  He  then 
bade  farewell  and  rode  away.  Bertolett  stood  awhile  engaged 
in  thought  concerning  the  strange  visitor,  when  a  voice  seemed 
to  say  to  him,  "Why  did  you  not  invite  him  to  preach  in  your 
house?"  Following  its  promptings,  he  ran  after  the  preacher 
now  disappearing  in  the  distance  and  succeeded  in  stopping  him. 
The  conversation  on  religious  matters  was  resumed,  with  the 
result  that  an  appointment  was  made  for  Walter.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  a  great  work  in  that  locality  and  the  organization 
of  a  strong  class,  the  principal  members  of  which  were  the  Ber- 
toletts,  Clevers,  Weidners,  Yeakels  and  Hochs.  For  many 
years  Bertolett's  house  was  a  preaching  place  and  he  one  of 
the  chief  pillars  of  the  church.  A  camp-meeting  was  held  on  his 
land  in  1814  and  many  years  thereafter,  besides  many  important 
general  meetings.  He  was  one  of  the  principal  promoters  of  the 
Book  Establishment  in  181 6,  and  was  elected  by  the  conference 
as  one  of  the  commission.  He  possessed  fine  poetical  talent ; 
many  of  his  hymns  became  familiar  throughout  the  church,  and 
some  are  still  to  be  found  in  our  German  hymn  book.  One  of 
his  notable  hymns  begins  with  the  lines  : 

"Die  Wasserbaeche  rauschen  dar 
Die  Stern"  am  Ilimmel  leuchien  klar. 
Die  kuehlen  Winde  weh'n.'' 

Many  of  his  productions  were  published  in  a  separate  volume. 
In  the  conference  records  of  1820  is  a  resolution  ordering  the 
publication  of  a  volume  of  hymns  written  and  translated  by  John 
Dreisbach  and  Daniel  Bertolett.  In  1832  Bertolett  was 
licensed  as  a  local  preacher.  He  was  severely  plain  in  his  habits, 
so  that  many  who  did  not  understand  him  thought  him  peculiar. 
In  his  house  was  posted  a  notice  forbidding  the  use  of  tobacco 
on  his  premises,  which  he  considered  a  great  evil.    He  was  r.;so 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


31 


a  prominent  anti-slavery  man.  He  died  in  1868,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-eight  years,  and  his  son  Jacob,  born  in  1815,  succeeded 
to  the  ancestral  estate.  He  was  a  local  deacon  of  the  church 
and  also  a  prominent  man.    He  died  in  1878. 

Lehigh  County.  At  Lynnville,  Albright  found  entrance 
to  several  families  who  opened  their  homes  for  preaching  places. 
His  leading  support  here  was  George  Kuster,  whose  house 
became  a  regular  preaching  place  as  early  as  1800.  He  died  in 
the  early  part  of  the  century,  but  his  house  continued  as  one  of 
the  preaching  places  of  the  Schuylkill  circuit  as  late  as  1835.  In 
1842  the  widow  Maria  Kuster  died,  aged  eighty-three  years. 
Having  no  children,  she  bequeated  the  entire  estate  to  the  East 
Pa.  Conference,  which  in  turn  very  generously  transferred  all  the 
proceeds  of  the  estate,  which  were  considerable,  to  the  Charitable 
Society  of  the  Evangelical  Association. 

Near  the  present  town  of  Macungie  lived  a  liberal-minded 
man  named  Philip  Wescoe,  who  welcomed  Albright  to  his 
home,  and  permitted  him  to  preach  in  his  house.  No  immediate 
results  were  apparent  until  1834,  when  J.  M.  Savlor  preached 
to  an  assembly  of  over  one  thousand  people  in  the  orchard  of 
Mrs.  Susan  Mohr,  near  the  old  home  of  Wescoe.  This  was 
the  beginning  of  a  great  work. 

Schuylkill  County.  In  West  Penn  township  lived  that 
eminent  man  of  God,  Leonard  Zimmerman,  and  his  wife  Sophia. 
He  was  a  member  and  officer  of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  a 
spiritually  enlightened,  pious  man.  About  1797  he  turned  his 
back  to  the  dead  formality  of  his  church  and  opened  his  house 
as  a  preaching  place  for  the  zealous  evangelist  Albright.  For 
this  he  was  decried  as  a  heretic  and  became  the  subject  of  sore 
persecution.  His  former  pastor  did  his  utmost  to  keep  him  from 
"falling  from  the  faith,"  and  urged  him  to  close  his  door  against 
the  "false  prophets"  and  "deceivers."  Zimmerman  at  this  time 
was  well  advanced  in  years.  He  was  the  father  of  a  large  family, 
nearly  all  of  whom  were  grown,  and  some  were  already  heads  of 
families.  The  following  is  a  list  of  his  children,  all  of  whom 
became  members  of  the  church  prior  to  Albright's  death  : 

(i)  John  Zimmerman,  Esq.,  for  many  years  a  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Schuylkill  county,  and  whose  house  was  one  of  the  early 
preaching  places ;  (2)  Rev.  Leonard  Zimmerman  ;  (3)  Maria 
and  (4)  Eve,  married  brothers,  John  D.  and  Michael  Sev- 
bert,  respectively;  (5)  Catharine,  married  to  John  George 


32 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Zehner.  The  Seyberts  and  Zehner  lived  in  the  North  Branch 
valley,  in  (now)  Columbia  and  Luzerne  counties,  where  Albright 
and  associates  preached  in  their  homes.  (6)  Susan,  married 
Conrad  Biebelheimer  ;  (7)  Barbara,  married  H.  Balliet, 
and  (8)  Albertina,  married  Jacob  Bochard.  About  1806  the 
three  latter  sons-in-law  also  emigrated  to  the  same  valley,  and 
received  the  Evangelical  preachers.  Bochard  settled  a  short 
distance  above  Danville,  in  (now)  Montour  county.  After  the 
death  of  the  parents  (9)  Margaret,  the  youngest,  was  cared  for 
by  Rev.  Solomon  Miller,  who  in  1816  removed  to  New  Berlin, 
Pa.,  to  take  charge  of  the  Printing  Establishment  of  the  society. 
Here  she  met,  and  in  1818  married,  George  Miller,  "the 
printer."  In  the  early  history  of  the  church  father  Zimmerman's 
was  one  of  the  leading  points  of  the  connection.  In  the  begin- 
ning of  the  century  Albright  preached  there  a  sermon  of  great 
power  from  the  words,  "But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  His 
coming?"  (Mai  iii.  2.)  The  whole  assembly  was  melted  under 
its  influence  and  many  were  converted,  among  whom  was  father 
Zimmerman's  son  Leonard,  who  later  became  a  minister.  At 
another  meeting  held  here  in  1802  George  Miller,  who  became 
so  eminent  and  useful  in  the  church,  was  fully  confirmed  in  the 
faith.  Father  Zimmerman's  house  was  open  to  all  godly  preach- 
ers, whether  adherents  of  Albright  or  not.  Father  Peter 
Beaver,*  one  of  the  first  German  Methodist  preachers  in  Amer- 
ica, frequently  preached  at  Z.'s  house,  and  often  spoke  of  his 
deep  piety  and  his  zeal  for  the  work  of  the  Lord.  Father  Zim- 
merman was  gathered  home,  like  a  shock  of  corn  fully  ripe  (Job 
V.  26),  in  the  latter  part  of  1812,  and  his  wife  soon  thereafter. 
A  great  number  of  his  descendants  are  members  of  the  Evangelical 
Association,  some  being  useful  ministers  of  the  gospel. 

In  1803  the  first  Evangelical  class  was  formed  in  Schuylkill 
county,  and  George  Miller  was  appointed  leader  by  Albright. 

The  Miller  Family.  Jacob  Miller  and  his  wife  Eliza- 
beth were  highly  respectable  people  of  Pottstown,  Pa.,  and 
members  of  the  Lutheran  Church  at  that  place.  During  the 
Revolutionary  War  they  removed  to  Alsace  township,  Berks 
county,  where  Miller  died  in  1784.  As  their  sons  became 
prominently  identified  with  the  society  through  the  ministry  of 
Albright,  a  notice  of  them  seems  proper  in  this  connection : 


♦Grandfather  of  ex-Governor  James  A.  Beaver. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


33 


(1)  John  Miller  and  his  wife  Sabilla  lived  in  Bern  town- 
ship, Berks  county,  and  their  house  was  one  of  the  first  preaching 
places.  John  Miller  never  united  with  the  society, but  his  wife 
did.  He  died  early  in  the  century.  She  died  at  the  home  of 
her  son  Solomon  G.,  in  Stoyestown,  Somerset  county,  Pa.,  in 
1850,  at  a  very  advanced  age.  John  Miller,  Jr.,  son  of  the 
foregoing,  entered  the  Evangelical  ministry  in  1822,  traveled 
seven  years,  broke  down  in  health,  and  died  near  Shoeraakers- 
ville.  Pa.,  in  1833.  Solomon  G.  Miller,  another  son  of  John, 
was  a  very  talented  man.  He  entered  the  ministry  in  1829,  trav- 
eled a  number  of  years,  and  later  was  employed  at  the  Book 
Establishment  at  New  Berlin,  Pa.  He  resided  for  some  time  at 
Stoyestown,  Pa.,  and  still  later  removed  to  Kansas,  where  he 
died,  near  Augusta,  Nov.  19,  1883,  aged  seventy-six  years. 

(2)  George  Miller  lived  in  Schuylkill  county,  where  he,  in 
June  3,  1802,  became  a  subject  of  saving  grace,  but  some  years 
later  removed  across  the  mountain  to  AUemangel,  near  his  father- 
in-law.  In  1805  he  entered  the  active  ministry.  As  his  biogra- 
phy appears  elsewhere,  a  further  notice  of  him  in  this  connection 
is  unnecessary. 

(3)  Solomon  Miller  lived  in  Schuylkill  county,  near  his 
brother  George.  He  was  also  converted  in  1802,  and  his  house 
became  a  regular  preaching  place  in  the  Autumn  of  that  year. 
On  Easter  day,  1803,  Albright  held  his  fourth  general  meeting 
at  his  house.  In  the  Fall  of  1803  he  attended  the  First  Council, 
and  in  1807  the  first  annual  conference,  where  he  was  licensed  as 
one  of  the  first  local  preachers.  In  181 6  he  removed  to  New 
Berlin,  Pa.,  to  take  charge  of  the  newly  established  printing  busi- 
ness of  the  society.  As  he  derived  no  income  from  this  source, 
he  carried  on  his  trade  as  a  hatter.  His  good  work  for  the  church 
was,  however,  soon  cut  short,  as  he  died  March  29,  1820,  aged 
forty-two  years,  five  months  and  twenty-two  days.  His  body 
reposes  near  that  of  his  brother  George. 

(4)  Frederick  Miller  in  the  early  part  of  the  century  re- 
moved to  the  upper  end  of  Lehigh  county,  near  the  Blue 

Note. — A  few  years  after  their  conversion,  George  and  Solomon  Miller 
removed  from  Schuylkill  county  to  the  head  of  AUemangel  corner,  near  their 
father-in-law  Michael  Brobst.  Here  George  built  a  saw  mill,  and  Solo- 
mon erected  a  small  hat  factory,  on  the  same  premises.  In  1809  the  second 
annual  conference  was  held  at  their  house,  and  in  the  Fall  of  1810  the  second 
f-amp-meeting  was  held  on  the  north  bank  of  the  mill  dam,  where  there  is  a 
beautiful  spring.    Still  later  they  removed  to  New  Berlin,  as  elsewhere  noted. 


34  EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Mountains,  where  his  house  was  for  many  years  a  preaching  place. 
He  became  quite  wealthy,  and  being  without  issue,  willed  his 
entire  estate  to  the  East  Pa.  Conference.  This  was  the  largest 
bequest  ever  made  to  the  church.  The  will,  however,  was  con- 
tested by  other  claimants,  and  after  a  very  costly  litigation  the 
conference  saved  about  $10,000,  which  was  very  generously 
turned  over  to  the  Charitable  Society  of  the  church.  He  died 
in  1854,  at  a  very  advanced  age. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Orwigsburg,  Schuylkill  county,  lived  George 
Orwig,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  and  a  highly 
respectable  citizen.  He  was  liberal  in  his  views  and  strongly 
opposed  to  the  dead  and  formal  worship  so  prevalent  in  his 
locality.  He  therefore  opened  his  house  as  a  preaching  place 
for  Jacob  Albright.*  Although  he  never  withdrew  from  the 
church  of  his  fathers,  he  was  nevertheless  a  warm  friend  of  the 
Evangelical  Association,  and  his  children  and  grandchildren  be- 
came prominent  members.  Several  of  his  sons  having  removed 
to  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  county,  he  and  his  wife  Magdalena 
went  thither  to  spend  their  last  days  with  them,  and  there  they 
both  died  in  1841,  each  at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years. 

In  Lower  Mahantongo  Valley  lived  John  Haldeman,  whose 
house  became  a  preaching  place  for  Albright  and  his  asso- 
ciates. Probably  nowhere  else  in  Pennsylvania  was  there  greater 
spiritual  darkness  than  in  this  region,  and  the  work  seemed  fruit- 
less. Brother  Haldeman,  however,  did  not  become  discour- 
aged, although  he  stood  almost  alone  for  a  quarter  of  a  century 
as  a  professor  of  experimental  religion.  His  house  was  for  many 
years  a  noted  stopping  place  for  the  preachers  in  their  travels  to 
and  fro.  The  precious  seed  of  the  gospel  sown  in  this  place  was 
not  lost,  however,  as  in  course  of  time  it  came  to  a  rich  fruitage, 
and  a  class  was  formed.  John  Seybert  and  others  look  up  ap- 
pointments in  adjoining  places,  and  a  rich  harvest  of  souls  was 
realized.  One  of  the  chief  pillars  in  this  valley  for  many  years 
was  Henry  Heppler.  Many  victorious  camp-meetings  were  held 
on  his  place,  and  the  Evangelical  work  throughout  that  region 
has  continued  to  flourish  to  the  present  time. 


•  This  statement  is  from  his  grandson,  Bishop  W.  \V.  Orwig. 

jJoTK. — Father  John  Haldeman  died  1842,  aged  seventy-four  years,  llis 
wife  Salome  in  1838,  aged  seventy-one  years. 


TEE  EARLY  DAYS. 


35 


Lebanon  County.  For  some  unknown  reason  Albright 
was  specially  interested  in  Shaefferstown  and  vicinity.  This  place 
is  situated  about  seven  miles  south-east  of  Lebanon,  in  one  of  the 
finest  agricultural  regions  of  the  State.  It  is  especially  noted  as 
the  place  of  Albright's  first  labors,  of  which  we  have  definite 
knowledge.  In  October,  1796,  the  Reformed  church  here  was 
dedicated,  and  we  find  him  addressing  an  overflow  meeting  from 
a  board  pile  at  the  entrance  of  the  market  house,  in  the  public 
square.  A  furious  attack  was  made  upon  him  by  a  godless  mob, 
and  the  result  would  doubtless  have  been  serious  to  him  had  not 
the  arm  of  the  Lord  encircled  him.  At  the  critical  moment  when 
a  rush  was  about  to  be  made  upon  him,  a  powerful  man,  named 
Maize,  who  saw  his  danger,  seized  him,  and  carried  him  away, 
as  though  he  were  a  child.  The  cowardly  mob  well  knew  the 
strength  and  courage  of  Maize,  and  made  no  further  attempt  to 
harm  him.  A  kind  hearted  man  named  Peter  Mohr  then  took 
him  to  his  home  and  sheltered  him.  This  perilous  attempt  to 
preach  Evangelical  doctrine  in  this  wicked  place  did  not  in  the 
least  discourage  him,  but  with  true  Christian  heroism  he  fre- 
quently returned,  and  the  Lord  not  only  opened  doors  for  him, 
but  also  hearts  to  receive  the  truth,  and  the  precious  seed  thus 
sown  in  tears  and  sorrow,  came  to  a  rich  and  glorious  fruitage, 
as  will  be  observed.  But  before  this  result  could  be  reached, 
God's  servant  must  pass  through  a  still  more  fiery  ordeal. 

Albright's  Terrible  Persecution.  In  the  Autumn  of 
1799  a  fair  was  held  at  Shaefferstown,  at  which  time  he  preached 
to  a  large  multitude  by  the  wayside.  On  this  occasion  he  was 
attacked  by  a  mob  and  shamefully  abused.  Bruised  and  bleed- 
ing, and  with  garments  almost  torn  from  his  body,  he  escaped 
with  his  life  to  father  Zentmyer's,  who  liTed  two  miles  distant, 
and  at  whose  home  he  had  often  found  a  warm  welcome.  Here 
he  lay  for  two  weeks  under  the  care  of  a  physician. 

Among  Albright's  hearers  at  the  fair  was  George  Becker, 
who  lived  two  miles  east,  at  the  Muehlbach.  The  word  of  truth 
made  an  impression  upon  his  heart,  and  some  years  later  he  was 
converted,  and  became  one  of  the  strongest  pillars  the  church  has 
ever  had.    (See  Muehlbach.) 

Near  Shaefferstown  lived  Jacob  Gleim,  a  man  of  sterling 
worth  and  deep  piety.  Soon  after  Albright  began  his  labors 
here  Brother  G.  opened  his  house  for  preaching,  and  it  was  for 
many  years  a  noted  place.    He  died  in  1837,  at  the  age  of 


36 


EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


seventy-one  years.  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  when  Albright 
was  suffering  from  his  last  illness  and  was  on  his  way  home,  as 
he  said,  io  die,  he  was  brought  from  Lingelstown  to  brother 
Gleim's.  From  there  he  resumed  his  journey,  but  was  compelled 
to  stop  at  George  Becker's,  only  two  miles  distant,  where  he 
breathed  his  last. 

Among  the  converts  of  Albright  at  ShaefEerstown  was  Jacob 
Bricker,  who  was,  so  far  as  we  know,  the  first  in  the  town  to 
open  his  house  as  a  preaching  place.  He  died  in  Lebanon, 
in  1840,  aged  seventy-three  years.  Bishop  Newcomer,  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  mentions  in  his  journal  the  fact  of 
having  preached  in  Bricker's  house  in  1823.  John  Grumbein 
and  family  were  also  converted  under  the  preaching  of  Albright, 
and  their  house  was  a  preaching  place.  (Father  G.  died  in  1 868, 
aged  ninety  years. )  A  little  later  Jacob  Bucks  became  a  prom- 
inent member.  He  was  class  leader  for  many  years,  and  was  the 
father  of  Rev.  H.  Bucks,  who  entered  the  ministry  in  1832. 

The  Muehlbach  and  Vicinity.  In  West  Cocalico  town- 
ship, in  the  northeastern  part  of  Lancaster,  and  near  the  line  of 
Lebanon  county,  is  a  locality  known  as  "The  Swamp,"  opening 
in  the  direction  of  Shaefferstown,  between  the  Muehlbach  and 
Chestnut  Ridge.  The  Muhlbach  is  a  few  miles  north  and  Shaef- 
ferstown northwest.  In  this  place  Albright  was  received  by 
John  Wenger,*  who  opened  his  house  for  the  preachers  of  exper- 
imental religion.  On  one  occasion  when  Albright  preached 
here,  the  house  was  so  thronged  that  the  floor  gave  way,  and 
a  disaster  was  narrowly  averted.  Some  people  regarded  this 
mishap  as  a  sign  of  God's  disfavor  and  thereafter  kept  aloof. 

In  the  Spring  or  Summer  of  1805  George  Miller,  Albright's 
co-laborer,  gained  entrance  a  little  farther  north  towards  the 
Muehlbach.  In  his  autobiography  he  says,  "One  evening  I 
stopped  with  a  man  in  Lancaster  county  named  Lesher,  and 
was  lovingly  received.  In  the  evening  and  morning  I  prayed 
with  them,  and  as  I  was  about  to  take  my  departure,  he  asked 
me  whether  I  was  not  a  Methodist  preacher.  I  replied  that  I 
was  no  Methodist.  'But,'  said  he,  'you  are  a  preacher,  and  in 
what  connection  do  you  stand?  '  I  replied,  'I  am  an  Evangelical 
preacher,  and  preach  the  gospel  to  all  who  receive  and  hear  me. ' 


•He  was  a  brother  to  Jacob  and  Joseph,  of  State  Line,  Pa.,  which  see,  and 
brother-in-law  to  father  Philip  Breidenstkin,  and  Bishop  II.  Khmmlkr. 


TEE  EARLY  DATS. 


87 


'Tell  me  the  truth,'  said  he,  'are  you  not  a  Methodist  preacher?' 
'You  can  depend  upon  it,'  said  I.  'I  would  like  to  hear  you 
preach,  but  the  Methodists  I  would  not  receive,  because  they  are 
too  boisterous.  Or  are  you  so  loud  too  ?  At  any  rate,  I  will 
give  out  an  appointment  for  you  and  then  we  will  see.' 

"An  appointment  was  given  out,  and  the  house  was  filled 
with  people.  The  Lord  gave  me  grace  to  preach  His  Word  with 
feeling  and  power,  so  that  nearly  all  were  melted.  Lesher  desired 
another  appointment,  and  as  I  preached  again  others  desired  it 
also,  and  the  Lord  so  wrought  that  in  a  short  time  sinners  began 
to  seek  for  pardon.  As  Lesher  heard  the  noise  he  left  the 
assembly,  but  God  worked  powerfully  so  that  many  sinners  were 
converted,  and  also  this  old  man  with  nearly  his  entire  family 
were  converted."* 

The  Beckers  and  Lefflers  Converted.  Among  the  peo- 
ple who  came  to  the  meetings  at  Lesher's  were  some  from  the 
Muehlbach,  about  three  miles  distant,  among  whom  was  Cath- 
arine, wife  of  Frederick  Becker,  a  highly  respected  man,  and 
a  brother  of  George  and  Samuel,  of  the  Muehlbach.  John 
Leffler,  married  to  Becker's  sister  Julianna,  lived  near  Lesh- 
er's, and  also  attended  the  meetings.  Mrs.  Becker  was  con- 
verted and  a  little  later  her  husband  Frederick.  This  opened 
the  way  for  the  introduction  of  the  work. 

Soon  after  his  conversion  Frederick  Becker  began  to  urge 
his  brothers,  Samuel  and  George,  to  attend  the  meetings  at  the 
Swamp.  After  much  persuasion  they  agreed  to  do  so,  and  went 
together.  The  service  made  a  deep  impression  upon  them,  and 
on  their  return  they  discussed  the  propriety  of  having  Albright 
preach  at  the  Muehlbach  also.  Samuel  thought  that  inasmuch 
as  he  was  an  officer  in  the  Lutheran  Church,  it  would  not  do  for 
him  to  open  his  house  as  a  preaching  place,  but  urged  his  brother 
George  to  do  so.  George  signified  his  willingness,  but  there 
were  domestic  obstacles  in  the  way,  and  the  project  was  deferred. 
Quite  unexpectedly,  however,  whether  in  jest  or  earnest  we  can- 
not say,  the  wife  of  George  told  him  to  have  an  appointment 
made  at  their  house.  This  was  just  what  he  desired,  but  she  had 
hitherto  shown  no  disposition  in  favor  of  the  work.  An  appoint- 
ment was  accordingly  made,  which  was  filled  by  Albright. 
The  wife,  however,  opposed  a  second  meeting,  but  Albright 


Miller'' s  Lehen,  page  8j. 


38  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


persuaded  her  to  permit  another  appointment,  to  which  she  finally- 
agreed.  At  the  second  meeting  he  was  assisted  by  his  coUegues 
John  Walter  and  George  Miller.  The  house  was  thronged 
with  people.  Much  opposition  was  manifested  by  the  enemies 
of  the  cause,  and  considerable  damage  was  done  about  the  prem- 
ises. The  meeting  nevertheless  was  a  glorious  triumph,  and 
among  the  saved  was  George  Becker.  The  precious  seed 
dropped  into  his  heart  by  Albright  at  the  Shaefferstown  fair, 
five  years  previous,  at  last  matured  in  his  salvation.  Becker's 
sister  Julianna,  and  her  husband  John  Leffler,  from  the  Swamp, 
were  also  present  at  this  meeting.  She  was  powerfully  wrought 
upon,  and  with  contending  emotions  within  her  soul  she  stole 
away  ere  the  meeting  closed  and  returned  to  her  home,  several 
miles  distant.  When  her  husband  returned  he  found  his  wife  in 
bed  and  the  door  securely  barred.  To  his  repeated  calls  to  open 
the  door  she  paid  no  attention,  whereupon  he  bowed  down  and 
oifered  up  a  fervent  prayer  in  her  behalf.  This  induced  her  to 
open  the  door,  but  she  immediately  returned  to  bed.  She  there 
began  to  upbraid  him  for  falling  away  from  the  faith  of  their 
fathers.  It  was  quite  evident,  however,  that  her  heart  had  been 
touched  by  the  spirit  of  conviction,  and  she  was  in  that  condi- 
tion in  which  the  enemy  of  souls  makes  a  last  desperate  effort  to 
hold  his  victim.  Her  husband  then  bowed  down  by  the  side  of 
a  chest  near  the  bed,  and  with  tears  began  to  pray  for  her  salva- 
tion. Soon  the  mighty  power  of  God  came  down  upon  them, 
and  the  woman  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  "Der  Teufel  muss 
weichen."  (The  devil  must  flee.)  After  a  season  of  Jacob-like 
wrestling  the  unseen  One  revealed  His  hidden  name,  and  the 
house  resounded  with  shouts  of  joy  and  praise  from  the  lips  of 
husband  and  wife. 

Samuel  Becker  was  still  unconverted.  Soon  after  the  con- 
version of  Lefflers  a  prayer-meeting  was  appointed  at  their 
house.  When  the  time  for  the  prayer-meeting  came,  Samuel 
Becker's  wife,  who  had  been  converted,  said  to  her  husband, 
"Come,  get  ready,  and  let  us  go  over  to  Leffler's  to  the  prayer- 
meeting."  *  No,"  said  he,  "I  must  go  to  church  to-day  or  they 
will  throw  me  out  of  office,  as  I  have  missed  church  pretty  often 
of  late."  After  much  persuasion,  however,  she  induced  him 
to  accompany  her.  The  meeting  was  one  of  great  power,  and 
Becker  resolved  to  seek  the  Lord  in  the  salvation  of  his  soul. 
The  friends  joined  in  fervent  supplications  with  him,  and  he  was 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


39 


soon  overwhelmed  with  the  power  of  saving  grace.  Springing  to 
his  feet,  with  his  streaming  eyes  turned  heavenward,  he  repeated 
that  grand  old  hymn  of  Rothe,  beginning, 

"Ich  habe  nun  den  Grund  gefunden 

Der  meinen  Anker  ewig  haelt ; 
Wo  anders  als  in  Jesu  Wunden  ; 

Da  lag  er  vor  der  Zeit  der  Welt, 
Ein  Grund  der  unbeweglich  steht 
Wann  Erd  und  Himmel  untergeht."  * 

Deacon  Samuel  Becker  was  now  converted,  and  another 
strong  pillar  added  to  Albright's  little  society.  His  conversion, 
however,  was  the  signal  for  abuse  from  his  former  co-religionists. 
He  had  "fallen  away  from  the  faith,"  according  to  their  notion, 
and  to  ridicule  him  and  disturb  the  meetings  at  his  house  was 
considered  just  what  he  deserved.  His  father-in-law,  who  was  a 
man  of  considerable  means,  was  especially  hostile  to  him  and 
his  wife,  and  finally  announced  to  them  that  he  had  disinherited 
them.  Mrs.  Becker  said,  "Dear  father,  you  may  do  me  all  the 
harm  you  can.  You  may  throw  me  out  of  my  inheritance,  if  you 
will,  but  you  cannot  take  from  me  my  inheritance  above,  which 
rests  in  God's  hands,  and  is  incorruptible,  undefiled,  and  fadeth 
not  away. "  The  aged  father  spent  much  of  his  time  at  her  house, 
but  whenever  there  was  preaching  there,  he  left  and  remained 
away  until  the  service  was  over.  His  bitterness  against  the 
Evangelical  work  never  abated,  and  at  his  death  it  was  found 
that  he  had  executed  his  cruel  threat,  and  his  dear  daughter,  who 
had  bestowed  upon  her  aged  father  the  tenderest  care  and  affec- 
tion, was  cut  off  from  her  father's  estate.  In  the  light  of  eternity 
this  was  of  little  moment  to  her,  for  she  has  for  many  years 
enjoyed  her  more  enduring  substance  in  the  City  of  God. 

Becker  Family  History.  Among  the  early  German  emi- 
grants in  Pennsylvania  were  a  number  of  Baptists,  who  fled  from 
the  religious  intolerance  of  the  Old  World  to  seek  homes  in  the 
New,  where  they  might  serve  God  according  to  the  dictates  of 
their  consciences.  At  first  they  were  somewhat  scattered,  but 
Conrad  Bissel  having  settled  at  the  Muehlbach  in  i72i,f  he 
was  in  1724  joined  by  others,  and  a  society  was  organized.  This 
society  chose  one  of  their  number  named  Peter  BeckerJ  as 


*See  English  translation  in  Evangelical  Hymn  Book,  No.  324. 
\  Egle's  History  of  Lancaster  county. 
J  Becker  was  from  Dilsheim,  Germany. 


40 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  AI^ALS. 


their  ofificial  baptizer.*  This  was  the  ancestor  of  the  Becker 
family.  In  1724  he  baptized  Bissel  in  the  Pequea  Creek,  f 
BissEL  was  a  man  of  considerable  intelligence,  and  changing  his 
views  somewhat,  he  a  few  years  later  withdrew  and  founded  the 
famous  Communistic  Society  at  Ephrata.  Becker's  estate  on 
the  Muehlbach  was  quite  large,  and  a  good  portion  of  it  has 
remained  in  the  hands  of  his  descendants  continuously  to  the 
present  time.  Among  the  sons  of  the  emigrant  was  John  George, 
to  whom  the  estate  descended. 

John  George  Becker  was  the  father  of  fifteen  childen, nearly 
all  of  whom  became  supporters  of  Albright  and  members  of  his 
society,  and  multitudes  of  his  decendants  are  to  be  found  as  hon- 
ored members  in  almost  every  quarter  of  the  church.  He  died 
prior  to  1800,  aged  ninety- two  years.  His  aged  companion,  who 
was  his  third  wife,  lived  to  see  the  Evangelical  work  established, 
became  a  member  of  the  Muehlbach  class,  and  died  in  peace  soon 
afterwards.  Of  the  children  of  John  George  Becker,  several 
of  whom  have  already  been  mentioned,  a  brief  reference  can  only 
be  given  in  this  connection.  John  Jacob  soon  after  his  conver- 
sion removed  to  Windsor  township,  York  county,  where  he  was  a 
pillar  for  many  years.  Michael  lived  on  the  Swatara,  where  he 
received  Albright  and  his  colaborers.  Frederick,  (wife  Eliza- 
beth), Elizabeth,  married  to  John  Lesher,  of  Dauphin  county. 
Frederick  Becker  and  his  brother-in-law  Lesher  removed  to 
Seneca  county,  O.  Julianna,  wife  of  John  Leffler,  already 
referred  to ;  Christina,  who  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  John 
Walter,  the  first  colaborer  of  Albright  ;  Samuel  and  George, 
of  whom  more  will  be  found  presently. 

The  Becker  mansion  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  land- 
marks connected  with  the  history  of  the  church.  It  was  erected 
by  John  George  Becker,  and  is  a  two  story  stone  edifice  of 
large  size.  The  body  of  the  building  is  of  limestone,  but  the 
corners,  windows,  and  doors  are  of  fine  red  sandstone  trimmings. 
Over  the  door  is  neatly  cut  the  legend,  "G,  1767,  B."  The  edi- 
fice is  in  an  excellent  state  of  preservation.  An  abiding  interest 
attaches  to  it,  because  in  it  was  held,  in  1807,  the  first  annual 
conference  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  Brother  Samuel 
Becker  gained  possession  of  the  homestead,  and  it  has  been 


♦Rupp's  History  of  Lancaster  county,  page  214. 
f  Ephrata  Chronicles. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


41 


retained  by  his  decendants  ever  since.  He  was  killed  in  1809 
by  accidentally  falling  under  the  wheel  of  his  wagon,  while  on  his 
way  to  Reading.  George  Becker  lived  on  the  western  end  of 
the  estate.  The  old  homestead  was  situated  near  a  large  spring, 
which  is  the  source  of  the  stream  known  as  the  Muehlbach, 
(Millcreek. )  In  this  house  Albright  died  in  1808.  The  an- 
nual conference  was  held  here  in  1810  and  181 1.  The  old  home 
has  long  since  given  way  to  a  more  modern  edifice.  George 
Becker  was  blessed  with  a  family  of  godly  children,  of  whom 
his  eldest  daughter  Mary  married  Rev.  John  Erb,  but  died  in 
the  bloom  of  life  in  1814.  Catharine  in  1823  became  the  wife 
of  Rev.  John  Klinefelter,  who  was  one  of  the  leading  men  of 
the  church.  Father  George  Becker  died  in  1855,  at  the  age 
of  eighty-eight  years,  his  wife  Maria  having  preceded  him  many 
years. 

The  Muehlbach  class  was  organized  in  1805,  John  Leffler, 
leader.  Members :  Father  John  Lesher  and  family,  John  Lef- 
fler and  wife  Julianna,  mother  Julianna  Becker,  Frederick 
Becker  and  wife  Catharine,  John  Jacob  Becker,  Catharine 
(Becker)  Kissinger,  Christina  Becker,  (afterwards  Mrs.  Rev. 
J.  Walter),  Anna  Yost,  John  A.  Hake,  and  also  Jacob  Bricker, 
Jacob  Gleim,  and  John  Grumbein,  with  their  families,  of  Shaef- 
ferstown. 

Albright  was  buried  in  the  private  burying  ground  of  George 
Becker.  In  course  of  time  it  was  enlarged,  father  John  Kline- 
felter donating  considerable  land  for  the  purpose,  and  it  is  now 
known  as  the  Albright,  or  Evangelical  cemetery.    In  the  midst 


Notes. — i.  Frederick  Becker's  son  Abraham  entered  the  ministry  in 
1822  and  traveled  five  years.  John  Jacob  was  noted  for  his  wonderful  gift  of 
prayer,  under  which  the  hearts  of  many  sinners  melted  like  wax  before  the  flame. 
He  died  in  Windsor  township,  York  county.  Pa.  • 

2.  John  Adam  Haake, whose  remarkable  conversion  at  Michael  Becker's 
in  1805  is  elsewhere  related.  He  was  blind  through  the  premature  explosion  of 
a  blast,  which  accident  occurred  before  his  conversion.  He  was  a  powerful 
exhorter,  and  was  accustomed  to  go  to  meetings  in  distant  localities  and  wrought 
much  good.  He  died  in  185 1,  aged  seventy-five  years.  He  is  buried  close  by 
Rev.  Jacob  Albright. 

3.  Anna  Yost  lived  in  a  small  house  belonging  to  George  Becker.  She 
was  one  of  the  first  converts,  and  especially  noted  as  a  sweet  singer.  She  was 
Albright's  nurse  during  his  last  illness  at  Becker's,  and  cheered  him  by 
singing  the  sweet  songs  of  Zion.  Later  she  married  Brother  J.  Snavely  and 
removed  to  Cornwall,  Lebanon  county,  where  she  died  in  1855. 


42  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


of  it  stands  the  Albright  Memorial  Church,  built  in  memory  of 
the  founder  in  1850.  The  material  is  red  sandstone.  It  is, 
however,  not  as  originally  constructed.  Because  of  faulty  work 
in  its  erection,  it  became  necessary  to  rebuild  the  entire  struc- 
ture. The  inscription  on  the  marble  slab  above  the  entrance 
reads  as  follows : 

"Albrechts  Kir  die, 
errichted 
zum  andenkcn  des  vernuigten 
Jacob  Albrecht, 
Stifter  der  Evangelise  hen  Gemeinschaft  in  Nord  Amerika, 
iin  JO  ten  Jahr  der  Gemeinschaft, 
Anno.  18 JO. 
Ganz  nen  aufgebaiit  im  Jahr  i860." 

Translation. — "Albright  Church,  erected  to  the  memory  of  the  Sainted 
Jacob  Albright,  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Association  of  North  America,  in 
the  50th  year  of  the  Association,  Anno.  1850.    Rebuilt  in  the  year  i860." 

The  Breltensteiu  Family.  A  few  miles  south-west  of 
Lebanon,  Pa.,  lived  Philip  Breitenstein,  a  man  in  good  cir- 
cumstances and  highly  respected  in  his  community.  Albright 
had  became  acquainted  with  him  prior  to  the  beginning  of  the 
century,  when  he  lived  at  Adamstown,  Lancaster  county.  Late 
in  the  Fall  of  1805  he  preached  in  his  house  for  the  first  time. 
The  weather  being  unfavorable,  his  audience  consisted  of  the 
family  and  a  pumpmaker,  who  was  then  doing  some  work  for 
Breitenstein.  Although  favorable  to  Albright,  he  did  not 
fully  yield  to  the  influence  of  the  gospel.  His  wife  was  still  less 
inclined  than  her  husband.  She  was  not  only  indifferent,  but 
also  in  a  measure  opposed  to  Albright's  pretensions  as  a  min- 
ister of  the  gospel.  On  the  score  of  old  acquaintance,  and  the 
fact  that  he  was  welcomed  by  her  brother,  John  Wengerd,  near 
Adamstown,  it  would  seem  she  tolerated  his  services  at  their 
house.  But  with  the  exception  of  the  privilege  of  preaching  there 
occasionally,  his  work  for  the  time  being  seemed  in  vain.  Sev- 
eral providential  circumstances  occurred  by  which  the  Lord 
turned  these  otherwise  excellent  people  to  Himself,  and  raised 
them  up  as  pillars  in  His  church.  The  following  remarkable 
account  of  Mrs.  Breitenstein's  conversion  she  related  to  her 
pastor,  J.  M.  Savlor,  from  whose  lips  the  author  received  it : 

The  evening  was  drawing  near,  when  a  young  man  on  horse- 
back drew  rein  in  front  of  Breitenstein's  house.    He  inquired 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


43 


whether  they  could  tell  him  of  the  whereabouts  of  Jacob  Al- 
bright. The  appearance  of  the  young  man  and  his  inquiry  at 
once  aroused  the  interest  of  Breitenstein,  who  asked' his  name. 
The  young  man  replied, ' '  I  am  John  Walter,  Albright's  helper. " 
He  was  then  kindly  requested  to  remain  for  the  night,  an  invita- 
tion which  he  thankfully  accepted.  Mrs.  B.  at  once  proceeded 
to  prepare  supper,  and  the  young  itinerant  was  invited  to  share 
the  repast.  He  was  requested  to  ask  the  blessing  at  the  table, 
which  he  did  in  a  unique  manner.  He  made  it  the  occasion  for 
praying  specially  for  her  who  had  prepared  the  meal.  This  was 
something  new  to  her,  but  it  was  of  God.  "The  words  of  the 
wise  are  as  goads,  and  as  nails  fastened  by  the  masters  of  assem- 
blies, which  are  given  from  one  shepherd. "  (Eccles.  xii.  1 1. )  It 
was  this  remarkable  prayer  that  led  her  to  the  Saviour,  and  like 
Lydia  her  heart  was  opened  "that  she  attended  to  the  things 
spoken  of."  (Acts  xvi.  14.) 

Brother  B.  still  refused  to  receive  Christ  fully,  but  mark  how 
strange  are  the  ways  of  Providence.  Soon  after  the  foregoing 
incident  (May  18,  1808)  Albright  was  called  to  his  rich  reward, 
and  the  same  Walter  who  could  lead  souls  to  Christ  by  saying 
grace  at  meals,  preached  such  a  sermon  at  the  funeral  of  the 
sainted  founder  of  the  church  that  the  hearts  of  the  hearers 
melted  like  wax  before  the  flame,  and  father  Breitenstein  was 
led  into  "the  fullness  of  the  blessing  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ."  (Rom.  xv.  29.)  From  this  time  on  he  was  a  pillar  in 
the  society.  Many  important  general  meetings  and  camp-meet- 
ings were  held  on  his  place.  Later  he  was  licensed  as  a  local 
preacher,  in  which  capacity  he  was  signally  useful.  His  son 
John,  who  was  also  converted  at  an  early  day,  entered  the  active 
ministry  in  181 8. 

After  faithfully  serving  his  day  and  generation  father  Breit- 
enstein was  gathered  to  the  fathers  above.  His  mortal  remains 
were  deposited  in  the  little  family  burying  place  on  his  farm.  By 
his  side  rests  his  beloved  companion,  and  his  distinguished  son 
John. 

Father  B.  was  bom  in  1764,  and  died  Jan.  22,  1838.  His 
wife  Barbara  died  April  29,  185 1,  aged  eighty-one  years.  Their 
entire  family  were  prominent  members  of  the  church.  Their 
daughter  Catharine  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Reisner. 
Another  daughter,  Mary,  converted  in  1807,  married  Jacob 
JiliDDLEKAUFF,  of  Hagerstown,  Md.,  and  their  house  was  one  of 


44 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


the  most  important  preaching  places  of  the  old  Franklin  Circuit 
for  many  years.    She  died  in  1855,  aged  sixty-one  years. 

In  May,  181 1,  the  third  camp-meeting  of  the  Connection  was 
held  on  Breitenstein's  place,  and  when  it  is  remembered  that 
ministers  and  people  came  from  all  parts  of  the  church,  it  will 
be  seen  that  an  ordinary  farm  would  be  taxed  to  its  utmost  to 
furnish  pasturage  for  their  horses.  After  considering  the  matter 
B.  found  that  he  had  no  suitable  field  into  which  he  could  turn 
the  horses  except  a  clover  field  on  which  he  depended  for  that 
season's  crop.  After  much  anxiety  he  referred  the  matter  to  the 
Lord,  praying  that  He  would  in  some  way  provide.  The  time- 
for  holding  the  camp-meeting  arrived,  and  also  people  from  all 
^arts  of  the  church,  with  a  great  number  of  horses,  jaded  and 
hungry.  What  was  to  be  done  ?  There  was  no  alternative  and 
brother  B.  opened  the  bars  to  his  field  of  clover  then  in  blossom. 
The  unconverted  people  now  pointed  to  this  act  as  proof  that  the 
"false  prophets"  had  completely  turned  Breitenstein's  head, 
and  said  the  people  would  "eat  him  out  of  house  and  home." 
Reader,  mark  the  sequel.  While  the  horses  were  feeding  a  whole 
week  in  the  best  pasture  they  ever  had,  their  owners  were  enjoy- 
ing one  of  the  best  camp-meetings  ever  held.  The  second  day 
following  the  close  of  the  camp  and  the  departure  of  the  people 
a  steady  rain  set  in  which  continued  several  days.  This  caused 
the  downtrodden  clover  to  grow  afresh  and  produced  the  greatest 
hay  crop  ever  gathered  from  that  field.  The  year  in  general  was 
a  prosperous  one  to  him,  which  brother  B.  regarded  as  a  special 
indication  of  God's  favor  because  of  his  trust  in  Him. 

Lebanon  and  Vicinity.  Through  the  labors  of  Father  Breit- 
ENSTEiN  and  his  son  John  the  Evangelical  work  was  established 
in  the  vicinity  of  Lebanon.  They  were  ever  ready  to  secure  new 
preaching  places  for  the  preachers.  Although  Albright  and  his 
co-laborers  had  preached  in  the  town  of  Lebanon  as  early  as  1805, 
there  was  no  visible  fruit  until  the  Breitensteins  effected  a  reg- 
ular appointment. 

A  gracious  revival  resulted  in  1826  under  the  labors  of  John 
Sevbert,  afterwards  the  first  bishop  of  the  church.  A  strong  class 
was  formed  and  our  work  has  ever  prospered  at  that  place. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  of  the  early  converts  three  young 
men,  Henry  Fisher,  Elias  Stoever  and  Jacob  Burkett,  became 
prominent  ministers.  The  former  was  one  of  our  early  publish- 
ers,  and  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger. 


TEE  EARLY  DATS. 


45 


About  three  miles  from  Lebanon,  and  the  same  distance  from 
Breitenstein's,  lived  two  brothers,  Jacob  and  Henry  Eby,  both 
highly  respected  farmers.  The  time  and  circumstances  of  their 
conversion  are  unknown,  but  it  is  certain  that  in  1805  George 
Miller  preached  at  their  houses,  and  beyond  doubt  the  Founder 
of  the  church  often  did  likewise.  Important  general  meetings 
were  held  here  at  an  early  day,  and  conversions  took  place,  but 
no  organization  was  effected.  The  members  of  this  locality  and 
Breitenstein's  constituted  one  class.  Preaching  was  kept  up 
here  for  many  years,  and  many  camp-meetings  were  held  on  their 
lands.  Jacob  Eby  died  in  1838,  aged  sixty-four,  and  Henry 
died  in  1863,  in  his  eighty-second  year. 

Samuel  Bien  and  wife  were  among  the  first  converts  in  Leb- 
anon county  and  are  supposed  to  have  been  members  of  the 
Breitenstein  Class.  Their  house  became  a  preaching  place  in 
Albright's  time,  but  we  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain,  with 
certainty,  the  locality  of  their  residence.  In  the  early  part  of 
the  century  they  removed  to  Warren  county,  Ohio,  where  they  died 
near  Lebanon.  Father  Bien  died  in  1852,  aged  seventy-eight 
years,  and  his  companion  soon  afterwards. 

During  the  year  1809  a  general  meeting  was  held  at  Henry 
Eby's,  attended  by  all  the  traveling  preachers  of  the  Association. 
At  this  meeting  George  Miller,  John  Walter,  and  John  Dreis- 
BACH  were  solemnly  ordained  as  elders  in  accordance  with  a  pre- 
vious resolution  of  the  conference.  The  meeting  was  an  occasion 
of  great  rejoicing.  The  brethren  reconsecrated  themselves  to  the 
service  of  God,  and  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  the  consequence 
was  that  great  and  unprecedented  revivals  took  place  on  all  the 
charges  soon  afterwards. 

Jonestown  is  situated  about  seven  miles  northeast  of  Lebanon, 
near  the  Swatara  Creek.  Albright  and  his  associates  found 
some  open  doors  in  this  region,  but  also  met  with  violent  oppo- 
sition. In  Jonestown  they  preached  in  a  small  building  in  which 
all  denominations  were  permitted  to  hold  services.  Mother 
"Ketty"  Wingerd  (noticed  below)  often  related  that  she  was 
present  at  a  meeting  held  here  by  the  Old  Brethren  Die  Alte 
Brueder" — meaning  Albright  and  his  associates),  when  the 
building  was  surrounded  by  a  mob  and  an  attack  made  upon  the 
worshipers,  from  which  they  escaped  without  injury  only  with 
the  greatest  difficulty,  and  their  deliverance  was  ever  afterwards 
ascribed  to  the  providence  of  God.    After  several  years  of  hard 


46 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


labor  and  great  opposition,  a  class  was  formed  in  Jonestown  and 
vicinity  by  Rev.  George  Miller  in  1805  {"Miller's  Leben," 
page  84). 

Among  those  who  received  Albright  was  Ludwig  Zehring, 
a  man  of  wealth  and  influence  who  lived  on  the  Swatara  Creek, 
a  few  miles  east  of  Jonestown.  He  was  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Reformed  Church,  and  made  great  sacrifices  when  he  opened 
his  house  to  the  Evangelical  preachers.  There  seems  but  little 
doubt  that  Albright  visited  him  in  the  early  part  of  the  ministry, 
as  his  daughter  Catharine,  already  referred  to,  was  converted 
in  1799.  She  died  in  Jonestown  in  1874,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
eight  years,  having  been  connected  with  the  church  from  its 
infancy.  Ludwig  Zehring's  house  was  a  regular  preaching 
place  as  late  as  18^5. 

Between  Jonestown  and  Mt.  Nebo  ("Ono"  post-office),  and 
about  a  mile  east  of  the  latter  place,  lived  Adam  Faber,  whose 
father  Michael  came  from  the  Palatinate,  Germany,  in  1733. 
Adam  Faber  was  a  highly  respected  member  of  the  Reformed 
Church  and  an  officer  in  the  same.  He  was  led  to  see  the  spir- 
itual darkness  then  prevailing  in  his  own  heart,  and  by  the  grace 
of  God,  was  led  into  the  blissful  experiences  of  salvation.  His 
house  became  a  regular  preaching  place  for  Albright  and  his 
associates,  and  continued  to  be  one  of  the  strongholds  of  the 
church  for  many  years.  His  son  John,  who  lived  on  his  father's 
estate,  also  opened  his  house  as  a  preaching  place  at  an  early 
day.  The  Jirsi  camp-meeting  of  the  Association  in  this  vicinity 
was  held  on  Faber's  land  in  1815,  at  which  time  the  noted  John 
Walter  (whose  little  farm  adjoined  Faber's)  preached  what 
was  probably  his  last  sermon.  Father  Faber  died  in  18 19  and 
was  laid  to  rest  in  the  family  burial  ground  by  the  wayside,  on 
the  north  side  of  the  farm.  (Rev.  John  Walter  was  buried  in 
the  same  graveyard.)  His  wife  Anna  Faber  died  in  1839,  aged 
eighty-two  years,  and  was  buried  in  the  Reformed  churchyard 
at  Jonestown. 

The  Walter  Family.  About  three  miles  west  of  Jonestown, 
Pa.,  lived  Father  Peter  Waltei<,  who  with  his  wife  Margaret, 
was  of  the  first  to  adhere  to  Albright  in  the  beginning  of  his 
ministry.  We  have  already  observed  that  he  was  the  first  class- 
leader  of  the  Association,  and  removed  from  Quakertown  to 
this  locality  in  1805.  From  the  fact  that  this  family  was  not 
only  one  of  the  first,  but  also  one  of  the  most  noted  in  the  early 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


47 


history  of  the  society,  a  more  extended  account  seems  proper  in 
this  connection. 

The  family  consisted  of  the  following  sons :  Joseph,  John, 
Abraham  and  Peter;  and  daughters:  Elisabeth,  Magdalena, 
Sarah  Christina  and  Rebecca.  Joseph,  soon  after  his  father's 
removal  here,  was  married  to  Mary  Stine.  Their  house  became 
a  regular  preaching  place  in  Albright's  time,  and  became  a  noted 
place  for  general  meetings  and  camp-meetings.  He  died  near 
Mt.  Nebo  in  1857,  aged  seventy-nine  years,  his  companion  having 
preceded  him  about  ten  years.  John  became  Albright's  first 
co-worker,  as  will  be  seen  in  his  biography.  After  his  health 
failed  he  purchased  a  small  farm  near  his  parental  home  where  he 
resided  till  his  death.  Abraham  was  a  local  preacher  in  the  early 
days,  although  hisnamedoesnotappearinour  historyassuch.  He 
lived  at  Linglestown  and  was  class-leader  there.  Peter  removed 
to  Ohio,  where  he  died.  Lena  (  Magdalena)  was  noted  for  her  deep 
piety,  zeal  and  remarkable  courage.  Once  when  attending  a  gen- 
eral meeting  at  Solomon  Miller's,  held  by  Albright  and  others 
in  1 804,  she  with  other  sisters  was  engaged  in  prayer,  when  a  wicked 
man  named  Brobst,  father-in-law  of  Rev.  George  and  Solomon 
Miller,  who  was  most  bitterly  opposed  to  the  work,  entered  the 
house  and  forced  his  way  up  stairs,  where  he  drew  a  sword,  and 
in  a  terrible  manner  menaced  the  life  of  the  worshipers.  Lena 
Walter  arose  and  boldly  withstood  him,  declaring  that  neither 
he  nor  his  sword  should  prevent  her  from  loving  and  praising 
her  Lord,  and  that  she  was  willing  to  die  for  Jesus'  sake.  With 
one  accord  the  worshipers  then  called  on  the  Lord  for  help,  and 
the  heart  of  the  cruel  old  man  relented  and  he  withdrew,  and 
afterwards  confessed  to  having  wept  and  prayed  on  his  way  home.  * 
Lena  afterwards  was  married  to  a  man  named  Douglass,  and 
removed  across  the  mountain  into  Dauphin  county,  and  became 
a  member  of  the  "Stroh"  Class,  in  Fishing  Creek  Valley.  Sarah 
married  a  brother  named  Hockman,  of  Lancaster  county.  Chris- 
tina married  John  Lesher,  a  son  of  Father  John  Lesher,  who 
first  received  our  preachers  in  the  Swamp,  Lancaster  county. 
They  removed  to  Seneca  county,  Ohio,  where  they  were  among 
our  first  members.  Mrs.  Lesher  died  in  1838,  aged  forty-seven 
years,  and  her  husband  the  year  following,  aged  fifty  years. 
Rebecca  married  a  brother  named  Bader,  and  also  moved  to 
Ohio.  She  died  in  Iowa  in  1865,  aged  seventy-one  years. 
*. Miller'' 5  ^*Leben  und  Wirken." 


48  E  V ANGELICAL  ASSOCIA  TIOK  ANNALS. 


A  sad  story  remains  to  be  told  in  this  connection.  About 
1822  Abraham  Walter  conceived  the  idea  of  removing  to  Tur- 
key Valley,  in  Juniata  county,  and  persuaded  his  aged  father 
to  remove  thither  with  him.  This  was  very  unfortunate,  as  the 
region  is  rough  and  unproductive,  and  was  then  a  mere  wilder- 
ness. Despite  the  entreaty  of  his  children  he  resolved  to  go,  and 
in  his  old  days  build  up  a  new  home  in  the  forest.  Here  both 
he  and  his  aged  companion  soon  found  graves  for  their  home. 
Abraham  also  died  here,  so  far  as  is  known. 

The  following  account  we  take  from  Orwig's  history : 

"It  was  in  the  month  of  August,  1808,  when  John  Dreisbach  returned 
from  a  general  meeting  near  the  Muehlbach,  accompanied  by  a  young  brother, 
Andrew  Wolf,*  in  order  to  fill  an  appointment  that  evening  in  Jonestown, -j- 
but  as  he  had  been  disturbed  while  preaching  there  before,  on  his  way  to  said 
general  meeting,  it  was  his  intention  to  preach  to  the  friends  there  without 
giving  public  notice  of  it.  From  fear  (not  of  the  Jews,  but  of  the  heathen-like 
Christians),  the  doors  had  been  locked  and  the  window  shutters  fastened  inside 
Ijefore  the  services  commenced.  After  singing  and  prayer  the  sermon  com- 
menced, but  as  the  exercises  had  in  all  probability  been  heard  by  some  of  the 
adversaries,  a  mob  gathered  in  a  short  time,  and  forcing  the  doors  and  shutters 
open,  they  rushed  with  a  dreadful  noise  and  with  still  more  dreadful  impreca- 
tions into  the  house  and  thus  put  a  stop  to  the  exercises.  The  preacher  then 
took  a  light  and  went  among  the  crowd  to  restore  order,  but  several  ruffians 
seized  him  and  dragged  him  toward  the  door,  at  the  same  time  treating  him  very 
roughly,  extinguishing  all  the  lights  in  the  house,  and  calling  to  their  companions 
who  were  outside,  '  Uoys,  open  the  door  ;  we  have  got  him  ! '  They  replied, 
'  Give  it  to  him  ;  kill  the  priest  !  '  The  preacher  was  justly  apprehensive  of  still 
worse  treatment  if  they  should  succeed  in  getting  him  out  of  the  house,  but  how 
to  get  out  of  their  hands  he  knew  not.  Suddenly  it  flashed  upon  his  mind,  as  if 
God  had  revealed  it  to  him,  that  if  he  would  jerk  himself  up  with  all  his  might 
and  then  suddenly  fall  down  like  a  log,  he  might  get  out  of  their  hands.  He 
did  so  and  thus  got  rid  of  them,  although  he  was  still  among  the  crowd  in  the 
dark.  Now  as  the  ruffians  were  groping  for  him,  they  got  hold  of  each  other, 
letting  torrents  of  blows  descend  on  one  another,  each  fancying  he  was  giving  it 
to  the  '  priest ; '  but  while  they  were  thus  regaling  each  other  to  their  heart's 
content  with  blows  and  pushes,  he  managed  to  get  out  of  the  crowd  and  the  mob 
got  out  doors.  Alarmed  for  the  minister,  some  of  the  friends  hastened  out  also, 
but  were  seized  and  very  much  abused  by  the  mob.  The  landlord,  father  P. 
Walter,  was  so  much  hurt  that  the  blood  gushed  from  his  mouth  and  nose.  A 
sister  was  knocked  down  and  carried  into  the  house  for  dead,  and  several  more 
friends  were  likewise  very  roughly  dealt  with." 

As  an  agreeable  sequel  to  the  above,  we  may  add  that  the 
leaders  of  the  mob,  seven  in  number,  were  legally  indicted  the 

♦Brother  Wolf  was  from  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  county,  and  soon  thereafter 
was  married  to  Anna  Dreisbach,  sister  of  Rev.  John  Dreisbach.  (See 
Buffalo  Valley.) 

f  It  was  three  miles  west. — Author. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


49 


next  day  and  heavily  fined  by  the  court  when  the  case  came  to 
trial.  The  fines  were  generously  remitted  by  the  brethren.  One 
of  the  juFors  in  the  case  was  Philip  Breitenstein,  who  after- 
wards became  a  local  preacher  and  a  great  pillar  in  the  church, 
as  already  noticed. 

Lancaster  County.  Among  the  first  in  Lancaster  county 
to  receive  Albright  was  a  widow  named  Elisabeth  Thomas, 
who  resided  in  Manor  township,  near  the  confluence  of  the  Big 
and  Little  Conestoga.  By  a  first  marriage  she  had  two  sons, 
Jacob  and  John  Rippley,  and  by  a  second  marriage  Christian 
and  David  Thomas,  all  of  whom  became  men  of  great  prominence 
in  the  church. 

Albright  began  his  labors  in  this  place  in  1802  or  1803. 
Souls  were  saved  from  time  to  time,  and  a  class  was  formed  in 
1806  or  1807.  During  the  latter  year  a  considerable  revival 
occurred  at  Millerstown.  Among  the  converts  was  John  Ere, 
who  entered  the  ministry  the  following  year. 

In  1809  another  gracious  revival  took  place  all  along  the 
Conestoga  and  many  prominent  conversions  occurred.  Among 
those  who  at  this  time  became  actively  identified  with  the  society 
were  John  Ripplev,  and  David  and  Christian  Thomas.  The 
latter  had  some  years  previous  opened  his  house  at  Millersville 
as  a  preaching  place  for  Albright.  Some  years  later  Jacob 
Rippley  also  united  with  the  society,  and  thereafter  the  Evangel- 
ical work  on  the  Conestoga  made  rapid  progress.  Christian 
and  David  Thomas  and  John  Rippley  were  licensed  as  preachers 
soon  after  their  conversion.     John  Rippley's  was  for  many 


Notes. — David  Thomas  entered  the  active  ministry  in  181 5.  Traveled 
two  years  and  thereafter  served  in  a  local  capacity  with  great  acceptance  until 
his  death,  which  took  place  in  1874.  His  services  to  the  church  were  important 
and  valuable.  He  was  one  of  the  delegates  to  the  "Social  Conference"  ia 
1816.  In  1818  he  conducted  the  obsequies  of  Rev.  John  Walter,  Albright's 
first  co-laborer. 

Christian  Thomas  was  early  licensed  as  a  local  preacher.  Entered  the 
active  work  in  1832.    Located  next  year.    Died  in  1851. 

John  Rippley,  after  serving  the  church  many  years  as  a  local  preacher,  died 
in  1 85 1,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 

Jacob  Rippley,  at  an  early  day,  with  others,  removed  to  Erie  county,  Pa., 
where  he  opened  his  house  to  John  Seybert,  who  was  sent  there  as  missionary 
in  1833.  He  died  in  1851,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  His  wife  Anna  died  in 
1853,  aged  eighty-two  years. 


50 


EVAmELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


years  a  noted  place  for  meetings.  An  amusing  incident  occurred 
here  which  we  give,  as  serving  to  illustrate  the  ignorance  of  divine 
things  in  that  day.  About  1810  John  Walter  preached  here, 
at  which  time  he  had  among  his  hearers  a  man  named  Adam. 
In  the  course  of  his  sermon  he  remarked  that  it  was  absolutely 
necessary  that  the  "Old  Adam"  be  driven  out,  referring,  of 
course,  to  the  expulsion  of  the  sinful  nature.  The  individual 
Adam,  however,  did  not  understand  it  in  that  sense,  but  took  it 
as  a  personal  matter  and  left  the  assembly  greatly  offended.  A 
daughter  of  John  Rippley  married  Michael  Kneisley,  who  also 
became  a  prominent  member,  and  was  for  many  years  one  of  the 
pillars  of  the  work  on  the  Conestoga. 

A  few  miles  distant  from  mother  Thomas',  at  Conestoga 
Centre,  lived  Philip  Herrman,  who  was  the  first  in  this  neigh- 
borhood to  open  his  house  as  a  preaching  place  for  Albright 
and  his  co-laborers.  His  wife  Barbara,  however,  was  very  much 
opposed  to  it,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  the  appointments 
were  filled.  On  one  occasion  when  Albright  was  preaching,  she 
blew  out  the  lights.  In  the  revival  of  1809  she  was  converted, 
and  thereafter  the  preachers  were  doubly  welcome.  Herrman's 
house  was  for  many  years  a  preaching  place.  He  died  near  the 
close  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  century,  and  his  wife  died  in 
1849,  aged  eighty-three  years. 

The  home  of  Henry  Wertz  and  his  wife  Mary,  near  the 
Herrman  home,  was  also  a  preaching  place  of  Albright  and 
his  co-laborers. 

Henry  Mandebach  and  his  wife  Maria  and  David  Williams 
and  his  wife  Magdalena  were  among  the  first  members  in  Manor 
township,  and  their  homes  were,  in  all  probability,  preaching 
places.  David  Williams  removed  with  Rippley  and  others  to 
Fairview,  Erie  county.  Pa.,  and  were  among  the  first  members 
there.  Brother  W.  died  in  1864,  aged  eighty  years,  his  wife 
having  preceded  him  in  i860. 

At  Mt.  Joy  lived  father  Samuel  Lehn  and  his  wife  Magda- 
lena. They  were  converted  under  the  ministry  of  Albright  in 
1804,  and  not  long  afterwards  opened  their  house  as  a  preaching 
place,  which  was  an  important  point  for  many  years.  He  was 
the  father  of  Rev.  Michael  Lehn,  who  entered  the  ministry  in 
1839.  Father  Lehn  died  in  1854,  aged  eighty-two  years.  His 
wife  preceded  him  in  1847,  aged  seventy-five  years.   A  class  was 


TEE  EARLY  DA  YS. 


51 


formed  here  between  1807  and  1809.  The  sainted  John  Seybert 
served  as  leader  of  this  class  in  1810,  as  well  as  the  Manheim 
Class  at  the  same  time. 

The  first  and  principal  preaching  place  here  was  at  Herman 
Long's.  He  was  converted  in  the  early  days,  probably  on  the 
Conestoga,  and  some  time  prior  to  18 10  his  house  became  a 
regular  preaching  place.  He  was  a  man  of  deep  piety  and  great 
zeal  for  the  cause  of  vital  godliness. 

At  Manheim  entrance  was  gained  soon  after  Albright's 
death.  In  1809  a  number  of  conversions  took  place  under  the 
labors  of  John  Dreisbach  and  M.  Betz,  among  whom  was  David 
BovER.  On  the  evening  of  April  5,  18 10,  as  Brother  Betz 
preached  his  last  sermon  preparatory  to  going  to  conference,  a 
young  man  named  John  Seybert  was  brought  under  conviction. 
Little  did  the  young  preacher  think  that  his  words  would  result 
in  the  conversion  of  the  future  first  bishop  of  the  church.  Brother 
Boyer  followed  up  the  good  impressions  made  by  the  preacher 
upon  the  heart  of  Seybert,  and  he  was  soon  thereafter  (June  21), 
as  he  expressed  it,  "converted  deep  into  eternal  life."  He  was 
then  living  with  Jacob  Lehr  who,  with  his  entire  family,  was 
soon  converted  through  his  instrumentality.  This  same  insatia- 
ble thirst  for  souls  remained  a  predominant  characteristic  of 
Seybert  through  his  entire  ministry.  He  was  appointed  leader 
of  both  the  Manheim  and  Mt.  Joy  classes  (eight  miles  distant) 
in  this  same  year.  One  of  the  first  and  most  important  preach- 
ing places  at  Manheim  was  at  Catharine  Krall's. 

A  few  miles  below  Columbia,  on  the  Susquehanna  River,  is 
situated  the  town  of  Washington.  Here  lived  a  number  of  highly 
respected  people,  who  opened  their  houses  as  preaching  places. 
Among  them  may  be  named  Father  Andrew  KAUFFMAN,and  the 
brothers  Abraham,  Christian  and  David  Herr.  The  time 
when  the  Evangelical  preachers  began  their  labors  here  cannot 
ascertained  with  certainty,  but  it  is  quite  probable  that  Albright 
preached  at  Kauffman's,  and  Abraham,  and  Christian  Herr's, 
as  they  were  connected  with  the  revival  movement  already  prior 

Notes. — David  Bovkr  was  licensed  as  a  local  preacher  soon  after  his  con- 
version. He  was  the  father  of  a  large  family,  all  of  whom  became  useful 
members.  He  died  in  1823.  His  family  later  removed  to  Dark  county,  Ohio, 
where  his  widow  died  in  1852. 

father  Lehr  at  an  early  day  removed  to  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  where  his 
house  became  a  preaching  place,  and  here  he  died  in  1846,  aged  seventy  years. 


52 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


to  1800,  and  all  ministers  who  preached  experimental  religion 
were  welcome.  That  eminent  servant  of  God,  Christian  New- 
comer, (later  bishop  in  the  United  Brethren  Church)  records  in 
his  journal  of  1801.  "This  day  (October  20)  came  to  Abraham 
Herr's.  (22)  To-day  I  preached  here  from  Jer.  xlvi.  13.  Bless 
the  Lord,  conviction  fastened  on  a  few.  We  prayed  with  them 
some  time.  At  night  I  preached  at  Christian  Herr's  from  Fs.  viii. 
5.  The  meeting  continued  until  nearly  daylight. "  An  Evangelical 
class  was  formed  here  about  18 10,  of  which  Father  Kauffman 
was  leader. 

Dauplilll  County.  About  eight  miles  northeast  of  Harris- 
burg  Albright  found  entrance  in  the  early  years  of  his  ministry. 
A  revival  took  place  and  a  class  was  organized  in  1806.  The 
principal  members  were  Jacob  Becker  and  family.  Also  the 
Steins  and  Leonard  Crum.  The  latter  became  class-leader,  a 
position  which  he  filled  for  many  years,  and  the  class  became 
known  as  "Crum's  Class."  He  died  in  1869,  aged  eighty-three 
years.     His  wife  Anna  died  in  1877,  aged  eighty-three  years. 

As  already  noticed,  Jacob  Becker  (also  Baker)  and  family 
were  members  of  the  Paxton  Class  in  1805.  A  little  later  John 
Baker,  a  son,  removed  to  the  vicinity  of  Lingelstown,  where  he 
opened  his  house  as  a  preaching  place.  He  was  a  personal  friend 
of  Albright,  and  sometimes  accompanied  him  to  his  neighboring 
appointments.  He  was  one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Paxton 
Class  in  1805,  and  sometime  after  the  class  was  established  at 
Linglestown,  he  was  made  leader.  For  many  years  he  was  a 
strong  pillar  in  the  church.  He  died  in  1868,  aged  eighty-four 
years.  His  son,  Rev.  C.  H.  Baker,  labored  many  years  in  the 
itinerant  ranks  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference. 

In  Fishing  Creek  Valley,  about  five  miles  north  of  Crums, 
beyond  the  mountain,  Albright  was  received  as  early  as  1800, 
by  Benjamin  and  P.  Stroh.  The  latter  removed  to  Ohio  at  an 
early  day  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  receive  our  missionaries  in 
that  State.  Benjamin  Stroh  and  his  wife  Mary  became  the 
chief  pillars  of  the  work  in  Fishing  Creek  Valley,  and  many  con- 
versions took  place  in  their  house.  In  1802  Albright  baptized 
their  daughter  Mary,  of  whom  more  will  be  said  hereafter. 
Father  S.  died  in  1855,  aged  eighty-four  years.    Other  members 


Note. — Father  Andrew  Kauffman  died  1837,  aged  eighty-one  years. 
David  Herr  died  1846,  aged  eighty-eight  years. 


THB  EARLY  DATS. 


58 


in  the  vicinity  were  the  Colliers,  Hoffmans*  and  GiPPELS.f 
About  nine  miles  from  Harrisburg,  near  the  base  of  the  Blue 
Mountain,  is  the  village  of  Lingelstown.    Here  in  the  early  days 

lived  Peter  Raidabach,  a  deacon  and  chorister  in  the  L  

church.  He  was  a  well  informed,  highly  respected  man.  In  the 
beginning  of  1808,  during  the  prevalence  of  a  snowstorm,  a  stranger 
on  horseback  stopped  before  his  door,  and  requested  lodging  for 
the  night,  which  was  granted.  This  stranger  was  Jacob  Albright, 
seeking  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel.  He  soon  made 
known  his  character  and  requested  permission  to  preach  there 
that  night,  which  was  also  granted.  Word  was  sent  throughout 
the  neighborhood,  and  the  house  was  filled  with  people,  anxious 
to  hear  what  the  strange  preacher  had  to  say.  Albright  preached 
from  the  words,  "  If  Wf  confess  our  sins.  He  is  faithful  and  just 
to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness." 
(I.  John  i.  9.)  The  preacher  spoke  with  great  power,  and  a 
wonderful  commotion  was  produced.  The  doctrine  of  the  new 
birth  and  heart  purity  was  something  new  to  the  people,  and 
some  contended  with  Albright  during  the  service  that  his  doc- 
trine was  heretical,  as  they  had  never  heard  their  preacher 
advance  such  ideas.  Some,  however,  were  convinced  that  the 
doctrine  was  in  accordance  with  God's  Word  and  that  they  had 
been  following  blind  guides.  After  the  people  had  dispersed, 
Albright  convinced  his  host  and  the  remaining  friends  from  the 
Bible  and  the  catechism  that  his  doctrine  was  true.  Another 
appointment  was  made  for  him  and  he  preached  on  Sunday 
morning,  after  which  he  and  Raidabach  proceeded  to  Michael 
Becker's,  where  he  also  preached,  little  dreaming  of  the  con- 
spiracy which  Satan  instigated  to  destroy  the  precious  seed  he 
had  sown.  That  same  Sunday  morning  a  large  number  of  people 
had  met  at  their  church  and  conspired  to  break  up  Albright's 
work,  and  if  possible  rescue  their  highly-esteemed  chorister  from 

Notes. — *The  Hoffmans  removed  to  Crawford  county,  Ohio.  Mrs.  H.  was 
converted  under  Albright  in  1801.    She  died  in  1863,  aged  seventy-eight  years. 

■f-GEORGE  GiPPEL,  a  member  of  the  above  family,  married  Mary  Ann  Stroh. 
In  183 1  they  removed  ten  miles  north  to  Peter's  Mountain,  where  they  opened 
their  house  as  a  preaching  place.  A  class  was  formed  here  of  which  Bro.  G. 
became  the  leader,  which  position  he  held  until  1852,  when  he  and  several  other 
families  removed  to  Grandview,  Iowa,  and  where  they  organized  themselves  into 
a  class.  The  first  Evangelical  church  in  Iowa  was  built  by  them.  Bro.  G.  was 
the  first  leader  of  this  class,  and  remained  in  office  until  he  died  in  1856,  aged 
fifty  eight  years.    His  wife  survived  until  1891,  aged  eighty-eight  years. 


54 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


his  influence.  They  proceeded  to  Raidabach's  house  to  accom- 
plish their  purpose,  but  when  they  arrived  Albright  and  Raida- 
BACH  had  already  gone  to  Michael  Becker's.  When  Albright 
preached  again,  a  little  later,  a  number  of  evil  disposed  persons 
gathered  around  the  house,  intent  on  mischief.  At  the  close  of 
the  service  they  rushed  into  the  house  to  attack  Albright  and 
his  host.  In  the  struggle  which  ensued  they  dragged  Raidabach 
out  of  the  house.  He  had  a  number  of  sons  who  were  fearless,  as 
well  as  muscular  young  men,  and  who  rushed  upon  their  father's 
assailants.  Bethinking  themselves  as  to  whether  it  would  be 
right, they  cried  out,  ''Vater,soIlen  wir  drauf  schlagen?'\"Y&th.QT, 
shall  we  strike  ? )  The  father  answered  ' '  No. "  Not  in  the  least 
daunted  by  this  dreadful  persecution,  Raidabach  still  clung  to 
Albright,  and  soon  after  the  foregoing  occurrence  it  was  deter- 
mined to  hold  a  General  Meeting  at  his  house.  At  this  meeting 
there  were  present  Albright,  Walter  and  Miller.  The  house 
was  crowded  with  people,  many  of  whom  were  convinced  of  their 
sinful  state,  while  others  were  there  to  hinder,  if  possible,  the 
spread  of  the  work.  In  the  afternoon  Walter  preached  with 
wonderful  power,  so  that  during  the  sermon  many  cried  out  for 
mercy,  while  some  fled  in  terror  as  though  from  the  presence  of 
God.  The  meeting  was  a  great  victory  for  the  people  of  God. 
Many  found  salvation  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb.  A  strong  class 
was  formed,  of  which  Raidabach  was  made  leader.  A  peculiar 
interest  attaches  to  this  man  from  the  fact  that  at  his  house 
Albright  held  his  last  public  service.  On  Easter  day,  1808,  there 
was  a  general  meeting  at  John  Brobst's  in  Berks  county,  where 
Albright  stationed  the  preachers  for  the  ensuing  year.  (There 
was  no  annual  conference  this  year. )  Eight  days  after  this  another 
general  meeting  was  held  at  Raidabach's,  at  which  time  Albright, 
Miller  and  John  Dreisbach  were  present.  Albright's  health, 
however,  was  so  precarious  that  he  was  not  able  to  preach.  He 
felt  that  his  work  was  done,  and  arrangements  were  made  to 
remove  him  to  his  home.  It  was  here  he  gave  that  admirable 
advice  which  should  find  a  place  in  the  hearts  of  all  Evangelical 
preachers.  As  he  gave  the  parting  hand  to  his  faithful  co-laborers. 
Miller  and  Dreisbach,  he  repeated  the  lines  of  a  familiar  hymn: 

^"■Kampfe  bis  au/'s  Blut  und  Leben, 
Dring  hinein  in  Gottes  Reich. ' ' 

"Struggle  even  unto  blood, 
Press  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


55 


When  advanced  in  years,  Father  Raidabach  and  his  children, 
who  were  then  heads  of  families,  removed  to  Medina  county, 
Ohio,  where  they  again  became  pioneers  in  the  establishment  of 
the  church.  Several  of  the  sons  were  prominent  members  of  the 
church.  Father  R.  died  at  Gillfort,  Medina  county,  Ohio,  in 
1838,  aged  seventy-four  years.  His  companion  followed  him 
in  1841,  aged  eighty-four  years. 

The  first  one  to  open  his  house  to  Albright  and  his  co-labbrers 
in  lower  Dauphin  county,  near  Hanover,  was  Michael  Becker, 
a  brother  of  the  Beckers  on  the  Muehlbach.  This  was  sometime 
in  1805,  during  which  year  a  class  was  formed  here  by  George 
Miller,  of  which  Becker  became  the  leader. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  mighty  power  of  God  which  often 
accompanied  the  preaching  of  His  word,  we  here  append  part  of 
a  letter  written  by  Father  John  Fleisher  and  published  in  the 
Chris iliche  Botschafter: 

Esteemed  Brethren  in  the  Lord  :  I  have  felt  for  some  time  as  though 
1  ought  to  write  something  for  the  Botschafter  concerning  God's  work  of  years 
ago,  and  since  I  am  old  and  unable  to  write  much  more,  I  will  relate  some  things 
of  the  early  days.  Forty-three  years  ago  (1805)  Father  Albright  held  a  big 
meeting  at  Michael  Becker's,  two  miles  from  Hanover,  under  some  apple 
trees.  On  this  occasion  I  found  Him  in  whose  blood  we  have  purification  from 
sin.  On  Sunday  forenoon  Brother  Albright  preached.  After  him  John  Walter 
spoke  so  fwwerf ully  that  a  wonderful  commotion  took  place  among  the  audience. 

There  was  a  blind  man  present  named  H  who  was  so  deeply  affected  that 

he  cried  'J/fr^.'yfnr.' "  believing  that  the  world  was  burning.  Another  man, 
then  unconverted,  sprang  upon  his  horse  and  hastened  to  his  people  and  told 
them  that  the  world  was  coming  to  an  end  and  was  even  then  burning.  I  did 
not  know  Brother  Miller  very  well  as  I  only  once  came  to  where  he  preached. 
Still  I  know  that  God  was  with  him.  In  course  of  time  Brother  Seybert  came 
to  our  place  to  preach  the  gospel.  At  this  time  he  also  wanted  to  go  into  Stone 
Valley  to  preach.  A  certain  man  who  was  very  much  incensed  against  him,  lay 
in  ambush  with  a  gun  to  murder  him.  In  all  probability  he  would  have  accom- 
plished his  purpose,  had  not  the  Lord  sent  his  servant  by  another  way.  Brother 
Sevbert  preached  at  that  place,  and  gave  out  another  appointment,  but  before 
he  came  again  the  audacious  miscreant  was  in  eternity*  and  the  way  to  Stone 
Valley  was  free  and  open.  John  Fleisher.  f 

Armstrong  county.  Pa.,  Nov.  8,  1848. 


*Soon  after  his  attempt  to  murder  Brother  S.  the  would-be  assassin  became 
very  ill.  He  felt  that  he  could  not  make  his  peace  with  God  without  a  confession 
of  his  intended  crime.    This  he  made  to  his  pastor. — Author. 

f  Father  John  Fleisher  after  an  eventful  life,  died  at  Cussawago,  Crawford 
county,  Pa.,  1865,  aged  eighty-four  years. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  "NEW,"  OR  NORTHUMBERLAND  CIRCUIT, 
Its  Bounds  and  Appointments — Biographical  Notes. 

Shamokiu.  The  region  once  embraced  in  the  "new,"  or 
Northumberland  Circuit  was  at  first  known  as  Shamokin.  It 
derived  its  name  from  an  Indian  town  which  occupied  the  present 
site  of  Sunbury,  at  the  confluence  of  the  North  and  West  branches 
of  the  Susquehanna  River.  For  the  protection  of  the  frontiers 
a  strong  fort  was  built  there  in  1756,  in  which  the  early  settlers 
often  found  a  refuge  during  the  dark  days  of  the  Revolution. 
The  name  has  been  perpetuated  in  the  beautiful  city  of  Shamokin, 
situated  east  of  Sunbury.  In  1772  the  county  of  Northumberland 
was  erected,  and  comprised  all  the  upper  region  of  the  Susque- 
hanna River.  The  West  Branch  Valley  properly  begins  at  the 
junction  of  the  two  branches  and  extends  north  to  Williamsport, 
thence  west  to  Lock  Haven,  where  the  West  Branch  passes 
through  the  mountains.  The  distance  is  over  sixty  miles.  West- 
ward from  the  river  (West  Branch)  are  many  smaller  valleys, 
extending  laterally  from  it  as  follows  :  West  of  Sunbury  is  Middle 
Creek  Valley,  in  Snyder  county.  A  few  miles  north  of  Sunbury, 
and  opening  on  the  river,  is  Dry  Valley,  in  Union  county.  A 
little  north  of  this,  and  separated  from  it  by  the  New  Berlin 
Mountain,  is  the  fertile  and  lovely  Buffalo  Valley.  Farther  north 
is  White  Deer  Valley.  West  of  Buffalo  and  White  Deer  are 
Penns,  Brush  and  Sugar  Valleys.  The  new  or  Northumberland 
Circuit  comprised  not  only  the  aforenamed  valleys,  but  extended 
up  the  North  Branch  as  far  as  (now)  Luzerne  county,  south 
into  Perry  and  Juniata  counties  and  westward  into  Bedford  and 
Cambria  counties,  and  had  over  fifty  preaching  places  prior  to 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


57 


Albright's  death— 1808.  This  region  now  comprises  a  large 
part  of  the  Central  Pa.  and  a  part  of  the  Pittsburg  Conferences. 

Miller's  Successful  Work. 

In  1806  this  vast  field,  hundreds  of  miles  in  extent,  was  given 
in  charge  of  Rev.  George  Miller,  who  entered  upon  his  work 
in  the  beginning  of  June.  Finding  the  field  too  extended,  he 
did  not  supply  the  western  appointments,  in  Morrison's  Cove, 
Bedford  county,*  but  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to  establish 
firmly  the  work  of  the  Lord  in  the  valleys  contiguous  to  the  West 
Branch,  and  revivals  attended  his  labors  everywhere.  Over  one 
hundred  souls  were  added  to  the  church  on  this  field  alone,  which 
almost  doubled  the  membership  of  the  Association. 

Six  classes  were  formed  on  the  charge  this  year,  as  follows  : 
New  Berlin,  in  Dry  Valley,  Michael  Maize,  leader;  the  Thomas 
Class,  in  Decatur  township,  Mifflin  county,  Fred.  Herpster, 
leader;  the  Dreisbach  Class,  in  Buffalo  Valley,  Father  Martin 
Dreisbach,  leader;  the  Lewisburg  Class,  Buffalo  Valley,  Chris- 
tian Wolf,  leader;  the  Millheim  Class,  in  Penns  Valley;  the 
Brush  Valley  Class,  Christopher  Spangler,  leader.  In  a  short 
time  thereafter  several  of  the  classes  were  divided.  The  members 
of  the  Thomas  Class,  who  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Adamsburg, 
were  formed  into  a  separate  class.  The  members  near  Middle- 
burg  were  taken  from  the  Dry  Valley  Class,  about  1807,  and 
were  formed  into  Walter's  Class,  John  Walter,  leader,  who 
held  that  position  until  his  death,  in  1828.  The  Penns  Valley 
Class  was  also  divided  soon  after  its  foundation,  and  the  members 
living  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  valley  were  formed  into  a  class. 

Great  Revival.  In  1 8 1 1  another  general  revival  took  place 
on  the  circuit  under  the  labors  of  John  Erb  and  Leonard  Zim- 
merman, and  more  than  one  hundred  souls  were  added  to  the 
church.  The  meeting  at  Walter's  was  especially  successful. 
Many  prominent  people  were  converted  there,  and  a  new  class 
was  formed  soon  after  a  few  miles  northeast,  called  Hummel's 
Class.  Organizations  were  also  effected,  as  the  outcome  of  this 
revival,  in  Upper  Penns  Valley,  Centre  county  (Dauberman's 
Class,  181 1,),  White  Deer  and  East  Dry  Valley,  in  Union  county, 
and  Summer  Hill,  in  Columbia  county. 

Tlie  Thomas  Appolutitieilt.  The  earliest  permanent  ap- 
pointments of  Albright,  west  of  the  Susquehanna  River,  were  in 


*  Miller's  Leben,  page  I  lo. 


58  EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Musser's  Valley,  situated  partly  in  Mifflin  and  partly  in  Snyder 
county,  Pa.  In  this  valley  was  the  home  of  Father  John  Thomas 
and  wife  Mary,  about  two  miles  northeast  of  the  village  of 
Wagoner.  In  Decatur  township,  Mifflin  county.  Pa.,  Albright 
gained  entrance  at  the  home  of  Father  Thomas  as  early  as  1800, 
but  several  years  passed  before  any  visible  fruits  of  his  labors 
appeared.  Father  Thomas  at  this  time  was  well  advanced  in 
years.  His  family  consisted  of  ten  adult  children,  all  of  whom, 
as  well  as  his  sons  and  daughters-in-law  and  a  number  of  grand- 
children, became  members  of  the  society  in  Albright's  time. 
Father  Thomas  died  in  peace  in  18 13,  at  an  advanced  age. 

The  First  Revival.  In  the  Autumn  of  1802  Albright 
held  his  first  general  meeting  west  of  the  Susquehanna  River  at 
the  house  of  Father  John  Thomas.  This  was  the  second  of  his 
ministry,  the  first  having  been  held  the  previous  June  at  Leeser's, 
in  Berks  county.  At  this  meeting  he  was  assisted  by  his  only 
colleague,  the  youthful  John  Walter.  The  meeting  was  held 
under  some  cherry  trees  near  the  house.  A  great  mass  of  people 
assembled  there  from  all  directions.  The  character  of  the  meet- 
ing was  novel  to  the  people  and  awakened  great  interest.  It 
continued  from  Saturday  until  Monday.  On  Sabbath  morning 
Albright  preached  from  the  words,  "I  Am  the  Light  of  the 
World,"  (Johnviii.  12), which  made  a  deep  impression.  Walter 
also  preached  with  great  effect.  After  this  meeting  they  visited 
many  families  and  secured  new  preaching  places.  The  following 
Spring  another  meeting  was  held  in  the  orchard,  a  stand  having 
been  erected  after  the  manner  of  modern  bush-meetings.  At 
this  meeting  Walter  preached  an  unusually  powerful  sermon, 
from  the  words,  "Who  is  she  that  looketh  forth  as  the  morning, 
fair  as  the  moon,  clear  as  the  sun,  and  terrible  as  an  army  with 
banners?"  (Sol.  Song  vi.  10.)  During  these  meetings  a  con- 
siderable number  of  conversions  took  place,  and  in  1803  the 
converts  formed  themselves  into  a  society.  In  this  class  or 
praying  band  were  Father  Thomas  and  his  son  John,  and  others 


Note. — The  family  of  Father  Thomas  consisted  of  the  following,  according 
to  their  ages  :  Barbara,  married  to  John  Harpster  ;  Margaret,  married 
to  Jacob  Treas  ;  Catharine,  married  to  George  Harpster  ;  Elizabeth, 
married  to  JoHN  Lawver  ;  Susan,  married  to  Fred.  Harpster  (class  leader); 
John,  married  to  Catharine  Becker  ;  Elizabeth,  married  to  John  Wales  ; 
Mary,  married  to  Jacob  Reber  ;  Eve,  married  to  Isaac  Gill  ;  George, 
married  to  Mary  Hartman. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


59 


of  the  family;  also  Father  Andrew  Wonder  and  family.  It 
does  not  seem  that  they  considered  themselves  as  having  with- 
drawn from  the  formal  church  of  which  they  were  members, 
although  they  recognized  Albright  and  Walter  as  their  spirit- 
ual guides. 

Miller's  Arrival.  In  May,  1806,  George  Miller  took 
charge  of  Northumberland  Circuit.  The  following  harvest  he 
preached  at  the  house  of  Father  Thomas,  from  the  words,  "The 
Lord  be  with  you. "  (Ruth  ii.  4. )  In  October  he  preached  again 
from  the  words,  "For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God 
they  are  the  sons  of  God."  (Rom.  viii.  14.)  A  great  awakening 
resulted  from  this  sermon,  and  many  people  were  converted  soon 
after.  The  godly  people  no  longer  hesitated  to  sever  their  con- 
nection with  the  formal  churches.  A  class  was  formed  in  the 
Fall  of  1806,  with  Frederick  Harpster  as  leader  and  Isaac 
Gill  as  assistant,  and  was  known  as  the  Thomas  Class.  The 
preaching  places  of  this  vicinity,  besides  Father  Thomas',  were 
the  homes  of  his  son  John,  his  son-in-law  John,  Fred.  Harpster 
and  John  Lawver,  and  also  at  Father  Andrew  Wonder's. 

Great  Opposition.  Soon  after  the  converts  had  formed 
themselves  into  a  class  in  1803,  they  became  the  subjects  of  bitter 
persecution.  Their  meetings  were  sometimes  broken  up,  and 
some  suffered  bodily  harm.  At  one  time  the  young  people  of 
the  class,  according  to  previous  appointment,  met  in  a  secluded 
spot  in  the  forest,  where  they  united  in  agonizing  prayer  for  the 
conversion  of  their  persecutors  and  the  establishment  of  the  work. 
When  the  Evangelical  Class  was  formally  established,  three  years 
later,  the  opposition  became  even  more  intense.  At  one  time, 
when  Brother  Harpster  was  conducting  a  meeting,  some  of  the 
chief  opponents  boldly  arose  in  the  assembly  and  denounced  the 
praying  people.  Advancing  to  where  Brother  Harpster  stood, 
one  of  them  violently  struck  the  table  and  called  him  a  false 
prophet  and  a  deceiver.  Brother  H.  then  called  upon  God's 
people  to  fall  upon  their  knees  and  pray  for  their  persecutors.  A 
mighty  cry  for  divine  help  arose,  which  filled  the  rabble  with 
terror  and  consternation.  A  number  were  overpowered  by  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit,  others  fled  precipitately  across  a  stream 
near  by,  after  which  they  stopped  and  defiantly  shook  their  fists 
toward  the  house,  but  were  afraid  to  return. 

Brother  Fred.  Harpster  and  John  Thomas,  Jr.,  were  licensed 
as  local  preachers  soon  after  the  formation  of  the  class.  The 


no  E  VANQELICAL  A8S0GIA  TION  ANNALS. 


license  of  the  latter  bore  the  signature  of  Albright.  When  some 
years  after  the  establishment  of  the  class  Father  Thomas  died, 
and  no  suitable  minister  was  within  reach,  his  son  John  officiated 
at  the  obsequies  of  his  father.    This  fact  is  well  authenticated. 

The  Wonder  Family.  It  seems  proper  in  this  connection 
to  insert  a  brief  account  of  Father  Andrew  Wonder  and  family. 
Father  Wonder  was  the  son  of  George  Wonder,  who  was  of  a 
titled  and  highly  influential  family  in  Germany.  He  emigrated* 
to  America  when  Andrew  was  still  a  youth,  and  settled  near 
York,  Pa.,  where  he  died.  Andrew  married  Catharine  Swartz, 
of  York  county.  Their  children  were  Catharine,  John,  Jacob, 
Daniel,  Matthias,  George,  Benjamin,  Samuel,  Valentine, 
Christopher,  Henry  and  Mary.  From  York  county  he  removed 
to  the  Greybill  settlement,  in  Juniata  county,  and  again  removed, 
near  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  to  Mifflin  county, 
where  he  and  his  family  came  under  the  influence  of  Albright 
at  the  house  of  Father  Thomas.  He  and  most  of  his  family 
were  converted  in  1803,  and  became  members  of  the  provisional 
class.  The  rest  of  the  children,  who  were  still  small,  became 
members  soon  afterward.  Later  he  removed  across  the  moun- 
tain into  Juniata  county,  where  his  house  also  became  a  preaching 
place.  While  residing  there  he  and  his  entire  household  were 
baptized  in  the  Cocolamus  Creek.  From  there  he  removed  to 
Ohio,  as  also  his  children,  with  one  exception.    His  sons  Daniel 


•Ship  "Hope,"  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Oct.  I,  1773.    Pennsylvania  Archires. 

Biographical  Notes. — Father  Andrew  Wonder  died  in  Ohio  in  1846, 
aged  eighty-three  years.  Catharine,  his  wife,  died  in  1848,  aged  eighty-three 
years.  Their  son,  Rev.  Daniel  Wonder,  born  in  York  county,  Pa.,  in  1791, 
was  married  to  Catharine,  a  daughter  of  the  class  leader,  F.  Harpster.  In 
1822  he  removed  to  Ohio,  and  was  the  first  class  leader  at  Flat  Rock  in  1830. 
He  entered  the  active  ministry  in  1838,  located  in  1845,  and  died  while  on  a 
visit  to  Blue  Springs,  Neb.,  in  1887,  aged  almost  ninety-six  years,  having  been 
a  member  of  the  Evangelical  Association  eighty-two  years.  Rev.  Matthias 
Wonder  died  in  Ohio  in  1864.  Mother  Mary  Moss,  youngest  child  of  Father 
Wonder,  died  in  1877,  at  a  very  advanced  age.  When  the  Author  was  pastor 
at  Newport  in  1875-76,  Mother  Moss  was  a  member  of  his  charge.  She  was 
remarkably  active  for  one  of  her  age,  seldom  missing  a  service,  and  a  true  mother 
in  Israel.  She  had  much  to  say  of  that  holy  man  of  God,  Jacob  Albright, 
and  often  spake  of  the  angelic  expression  of  his  countenance.  John  Lawyer 
died  in  MifBin  county.  Pa.,  in  1843,  aged  70  years.  After  the  removal  of  his 
friends  to  the  West,  Brother  Lawyer  became  the  pillar  of  the  old  Thomas 
appointment,  and  both  the  church  and  class  at  that  place  now  bear  bis  name. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


61 


and  Matthias  became  local  preachers  in  the  Ohio  Conference, 
the  former  serving  several  years  in  the  active  ranks. 

Extensive  Emigratloti  to  Ohio.  Near  the  close  of  the 
first  quarter  of  the  century  a  considerable  number  of  the  members 
of  the  Thomas  Class  removed  to  Ohio.  They  were  followed  a 
few  years  later  by  others,  which  comprised  almost  the  entire 
class.  In  this  number  were  John  and  George  Harpster  and 
their  families.  Also  the  family  of  Fred.  Harpster,  he  having 
died  in  1818.  Also  John  Thomas,  Jr.,  John  Wales,  Jacob 
Reber,  Isaac  Gill  and  Jacob  Treas.  These  were  all  heads  of 
families  and,  as  already  noted,  members  of  the  Thomas  family, 
and  all  members  of  the  original  class.  To  the  foregoing  must 
also  be  added  Father  Andrew  Wonder  and  all  his  family,  with 
the  exception  of  one  daughter,  Mary.  Some  of  these  families 
located  in  Wayne  county,  in  the  vicinity  of  Wooster.  Others 
settled  in  the  Sandusky  country,  mostly  at  Flat  Rock,  in  (now) 
Seneca  county.  A  few  years  afterward  a  number  of  the  families 
in  Wayne  county  also  removed  to  their  friends  in  Seneca  county. 

Beaver  Dam  and  Vicinity.  In  Beaver  township,  Snyder 
county,  in  the  vicinity  of  Adamsburg,  and  about  ten  miles  east  of 
the  Thomas  appointment,  the  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation gained  entrance  as  early  as  1802.  This  locality  was  known 
in  the  early  days  as  the  Beaver  Dam.  The  men  who  first  opened 
their  doors  to  Albright  in  this  region  were  John  Muck  and  Philip 
Smith,  and  in  1805-6,  Geo.  Hartman,  Daniel  Mowrv  and  Jacob 
Bordner.  They  were  all  prominent  men,  and  staunch  supporters 
of  the  Evangelical  work  in  its  infancy,  and  merit  a  fuller  notice. 

John  Muck  was  probably  the  first  in  the  valley  to  open  his 
house  as  a  preaching  place.  A  number  of  his  children  were  grown, 
and  also  became  members  of  the  original  class  prior  to  1808. 
They  were  Jacob,  Conrad,  Samuel  and  Daniel.  Samuel  en- 
tered the  itinerancy  in  181 7,  and  rendered  five  years  of  active 
service.  Several  of  the  family  removed  to  East  Rush,  N.  Y., 
where  Father  John  Muck  died  in  1848,  at  the  age  of  eighty-eight 
years.  It  is  worthy  of  record  that  upon  his  death  bed  he  obli- 
gated his  son  to  write  to  all  his  unconverted  children  and  friends 
dn  his  name,  and  entreat  them  to  become  Christians.  Conrad 
and  Jacob  Muck  settled  at  Bellview,  Seneca  county,  Ohio, where 
they  died.    Conrad  was  for  many  years  a  local  preacher. 

Philip  Smith  and  his  wife  Eve  opened  their  house  as  one  of 
the  first  appointments  of  the  Northumberland  Circuit,  and  it 


62 


EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


remained  a  preaching  place  for  almost  forty  years.  Brother  Smith 
was  the  first  leader  of  the  Beaver  Dam  Class,  and  was  licensed 
in  the  early  days  as  a  local  preacher.  He  spent  one  year  (1816) 
in  the  active  ranks.  He  died  in  1864.  George  Hartman  and 
his  wife  Barbara,  who  was  a  sister  to  Abraham  Frev,  were  con- 
verted at  the  house  of  the  latter,  through  the  ministry  of  Jacob 
Albright,  in  1805,  and  soon  thereafter  opened  their  house  as 
a  preaching  place,  and  both  became  pillars  in  the  society.  Many 
general  and  three  camp- meetings  were  held  on  their  place  prior 
to  1833.  In  this  year  they  removed  to  Sandusky  county,  Ohio, 
where  their  house  also  became  a  preaching  place.  The  first  camp- 
meeting  on  Sandusky  Circuit  was  held  on  their  place.  Brother 
H.  died  in  1844,  aged  sixty-three  years,  and  his  companion  in 
1855,  aged  seventy-three  years. 

Daniel  Mowry  and  his  wife  Magdalena  (^nee  Frev)  were 
also  of  the  first  members,  and  their  house  was  one  of  the  first 
preaching  places.  Brother  Mowry  also  removed  to  Ohio,  and 
settled  near  his  brother-in-law,  Geo.  Hartman.  Brother  Mow- 
ry's  home  in  Ohio  was  also  one  of  the  preaching  places  of  the 
old  Sandusky  Circuit. 

Jacob  Bordner  and  his  wife  Elizabeth  were  converted  under 
Albright  and  colleagues,  and  their  house  became  an  early  preach- 
ing place.  They  were  both  prominent  members  of  the  society. 
Their  daughter  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  Philip  Wagoner,  and 
for  nearly  half  a  century  shared  with  him  the  privations  of  the 
itinerancy.  Brother  Bordner  died  ini8i9,  aged  forty-five  years. 
His  wife  died  in  Seneca  county,  N.  Y.,  in  185 1,  aged  seventy- 
one  years. 

Freeburg  and  Black  Oak  Ridge.  In  the  vicinity  of 
Freeburg,  Snyder  county,  several  families  opened  their  homes  to 
our  first  preachers.  The  most  important  preaching  place  was 
at  Charles  Straub's,  where  in  course  of  time  a  society  was 
established. 

Several  miles  from  Adamsburg,  at  Black  Oak  Ridge,  lived  a 
highly  respected  man  named  William  Becker,  better  known  as 
Squire  Becker,  as  he  was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  many  years. 
He  was  a  converted  man  long  before  the  advent  of  Albright  in 
this  region,  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  welcome  him  to  his  house 
when  he  first  visited  this  locality.  His  house  became  a  regular 
preaching  place  probably  as  early  as  1803.    In  later  years  many 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


68 


conversions  took  place  there  and  a  society  was  formed,  called  the 
Manbeck  Class. 

Mlddlebttrg  and  Vicinity.  A  few  miles  north  of  Mid- 
dleburg,  and  almost  midway  between  the  latter  place  and  New 
Berlin,  was  one  of  the  first  appointments  west  of  the  Susquehanna 
River.  This  was  at  John  Walter's,  Sr.*  Inasmuch  as  he  be- 
came a  pillar  in  the  church,  a  more  extended  notice  of  himself 
and  connections  seems  proper.  His  father,  Jacob  Walter,  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  in  this  locality.  His  home  was  about  one 
mile  west  of  Middleburg  in  (now)  Snyder  county,  Pa.  He  was 
born  in  Germany  in  1727,  and  died  in  1803.  He  was  an  upright 
man,  liberal  and  evangelical  in  his  views,  and  his  house  was  a 
preaching  place  long  before  churches  were  built  in  this  locality. 
Three  of  his  sons  received  our  first  preachers,  and  their  houses 
were  among  the  chief  preaching  places  in  the  early  days.  They 
were  John,  Philip  and  Henry. 

John  Walter's  house  was  one  of  the  first  appointments.  It 
is  certain  that  it  was  a  preaching  place  prior  to  1800.  There  are 
a  number  of  entries  in  the  Journal  of  Bishop  Christian  Newcom- 
mer  of  visits  to  John  Walter's  house,  and  preaching  there  about 
that  time.  Albright  may  not  have  embraced  John  Walter's 
in  his  list  of  appointments  quite  so  early,  but  when  the  new  cir- 
cuit was  formed  in  1804,  it  was  one  of  the  chief  places,  and  many 
important  revivals  took  place  at  his  house,  notably  in  181 1. 
Some  of  the  most  victorious  camp-meetings  were  held  on  his 
land,  and  many  persons  who  in  later  years  became  prominent 
ministers  and  laymen  were  converted  here,  among  whom  may  be 
mentioned  Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig  and  Daniel  Brickley,  in  1826, 
who  together  bowed  at  the  same  altar.  A  class  was  organized 
here  at  an  early  day,  of  which  Brother  Walter  was  leader  until 
his  death  in  1828.  His  family  likewise  were  members  of  the 
church  in  its  infancy.  John  Walter,  Jr.,  entered  the  active 
ministry  in  18 13,  served  awhile  in  the  itinerancy,  located,  and 
later  removed  to  Michigan,  where  he  died  in  1874,  aged  seventy- 
seven  years.  Michael  entered  the  itinerancy  in  1814,  and  ren- 
dered five  years  of  active  service,  broke  down  in  health,  and 
later  removed  to  Sandusky  county,  Ohio,  where  he  rendered 
great  service  in  establishing  the  Evangelical  work.  He  died  in 
1856,  aged  sixty- two  years.    A  daughter  of  Father  John  Walter 


This  family  had  no  connection  with  the  Jonestown  family. 


64  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


was  married  to  Rev.  John  Stambach,  who  also  entered  the  active 
ministry  in  1813. 

P  HiLip  Walter,  son  of  the  emigrant,  and  brother  to  John, 
Sr.,  also  opened  his  home  to  Albright  and  colleagues,  and  his 
house  was  a  preaching  place  for  many  years.  He  died  about 
18 1 9,  and  his  wife  Eve  Maria  in  1843,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 

Henry  Walter,  yotingest  son  of  the  emigrant,  lived  about 
one  mile  and  a  half  north-east  of  Middleburg.  His  house  was 
also  one  of  the  early  preaching  places.  He  was  a  most  exem- 
plary man  and  highly  esteemed.  His  place  was  also  noted  for 
general  and  camp-meetings.  He  died  in  1840,  aged  sixty-seven 
years.    His  wife  Magdalena  died  the  same  year. 

Another  important  family  at  this  place  were  the  Frev's. 
About  1796  Jacob  Frev,  Sr.,  emigrated  from  Berks  county,  Pa., 
and  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Middleburg.  He  was  then  well 
along  in  years  and  his  children  were  grown  up.  They  all  be- 
came, so  far  as  known,  members  of  the  Evangelical  Association 
in  its  infancy,  and  a  number  became  prominent,  as  follows : 
Jacob  Frev,  Jr.,  entered  the  itinerancy  under  Albright  in  1807. 
In  1808  he  was  sent  to  organize  a  new  circuit  in  York  county, 
but  owing  to  an  indiscretion  he  was  obliged  to  retire  from  the 
work.  Later  he  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  was  again  received 
into  the  ministry,  and  rendered  several  years  of  service.  Abra- 
ham Frey  and  his  wife  Margaret  lived  about  three  miles  from 
Middleburg.  Their  house  became  a  regular  preaching  place  in 
1805.  Brother  Frey  was  a  very  devoted  and  liberal  man,  and 
especially  noted  as  a  fine  singer.  He  died  in  1850,  aged  eighty- 
two  years.  His  son  Abraham,  Jr.,  entered  the  active  ranks  of 
the  Eastern  Conference  in  1832,  traveled  a  number  of  years  in 
Pennsylvania,  then  entered  the  work  in  Ohio,  where  he  labored 
successfully,  but  broke  down  in  health,  and  died  in  1843,  aged 
thirty-three  years.  Two  daughters  of  Jacob  Frey,  Sr.,  Barbara 
and  Magdalena,  married  to  Geo.  Hartman  and  Daniel  Mowry 
respectively, were  converted,  as  also  their  husbands.  (See  Beaver 
Dam.) 

George  Adam  Bowersox  and  his  wife  Mary,  who  lived  in 
the  vicinity  of  Middleburg,  were  also  of  the  first  members,  and 
their  home  was  a  preaching  place.  He  was  for  many  years  one 
of  the  leading  men  of  the  charge.  He  was  born  in  1774,  and 
died  in  1852.    Many  of  his  descendants  are  prominent  members 


THE  EARLY  DyiYS. 


65 


of  the  Evangelical  Association,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned 
the  brothers  Reuben  and  Josiah  Bowersox,  of  the  Central  Pa. 
Conference.  The  former  died  in  1879;  the  latter  has  been,  since 
1870,  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  where  he  has  contributed  more  than 
any  other  man  to  build  up  the  interests  of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation 

Centreville  and  Hutnitiel's  Class.  A  few  miles  west  of 
New  Berlin,  near  Centreville,  lived  Jacob  Kehr  and  his  wife 
Mary,  They  were  converted  in  the  great  revival  of  1806,  and 
immediately  thereafter  their  house  became  a  regular  preaching 
place  for  Albright  and  his  colleagues.  Some  very  important 
revivals  took  place  here,  and  Father  Kehr  was  known  throughout 
the  society  as  one  of  its  strongest  pillars.  He  died  in  1830,  aged 
sixty-five  years,  and  his  wife  in  1849,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 
They  were  the  parents  of  Rev.  Daniel  Kehr.   (See  biography.) 

About  four  miles  east  of  New  Berlin  lived  Father  Christian 
Hummel,  whose  house  became  a  preaching  place  in  1810.  A 
class  was  organized  here  about  this  time  called  Hummel's  Class, 
7.nd  is  still  known  by  that  name.  Father  Hummel  died  in  1848, 
aged  sixty-six  years. 

Chaptuatl.  In  Chapman  township,  now  Snyder  county, 
Albright  gained  entrance  as  early  as  1804,  when  John  Schwartz 
opened  his  house  as  a  preaching  place.  This  was  a  famous  place 
for  general  meetings,  and  many  important  revivals  took  place 
here.  Father  S.  died  in  1843,  aged  seventy-six  years,  and  his 
wife  Mary  in  1847,  aged  eighty  years.  George  Shetterly  and 
his  wife  Elizabeth,  who  were  converted  here,  opened  their  house 
as  a  preaching  place  in  1806.  He  died  in  1846,  aged  seventy- 
three  years,  and  his  wife  in  185 1,  aged  eighty-one  years. 

John  Thornton  and  his  wife  Magdalena,  who  lived  in  this 
locality,  were  converted  under  the  ministry  of  Albright  and 
colleagues,  and  circumstances  point  to  their  house  as  a  preaching 
place  in  1806.  Thornton  died  in  18 16.  In  183 1  his  son  Henry, 
a  prominent  member  of  the  church,  removed  to  Greensburg, 
Ohio,  where  his  mother  died  in  1847,  aged  eighty-one  years.  In 
1856  he  removed  to  Elkhart,  Ind.,  where  he  died  in  1879,  aged 
eighty-two  years. 

Juniata  County.  Several  miles  northwest  of  Liverpool, 
Pa.,  was  the  home  of  Father  John  Rough  and  his  wife  Marga- 
ret, formerly  of  Dauphin  county.    They  were  among  the  first 


66  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


members  of  the  Association,  and  their  house  was  a  preaching 
place  from  1806  to  the  time  of  his  death  in  1846,  at  the  age  of 
seventy  years.  Some  of  his  children  were  converted  at  an  early 
day,  and  the  house  of  John  Rough,  Jr.,  who  lived  west  of  his 
father,  became  a  preaching  place  in  later  years. 

About  the  middle  of  the  century,  the  sons  of  Father  Rough 
removed  to  Portage  Prairie,  Berrien  county,  Mich.,  where  for 
many  years  they  were  pillars  in  the  church  and  known  far  and 
wide  for  their  liberality.  Here  Mother  Rough  died  in  1 85 3,  aged 
eighty  years.  John  Rough,  Jr.,  died  near  Buchannan,  Mich., 
in  1892,  aged  almost  ninety-five  years.  His  brother  David  pre- 
ceded him  a  few  years,  at  an  advanced  age. 

Dry  Valley — The  Maize  Family.  About  1796  a  widow 
named  Maize  (also  Miesse)  removed  from  Lebanon  county.  Pa., 
to  Dry  Valley,  Union  county.  Their  home  was  about  one  and 
a  half  miles  below  the  town  of  New  Berlin,  on  the  Penns  Creek. 
She  had  two  sons,  Michael  and  John  Adam,  both  of  whom  be- 
came supporters  of  Albright  and  pillars  in  the  church.  Michael 
occupied  the  homestead,  while  John  lived  in  New  Berlin.  The 
former  opened  his  house  as  a  preaching  place  upon  the  establish- 
ment of  the  New  Circuit  in  1804.  When  the  great  revival  of 
1806  crowned  the  labors  of  Rev.  George  Miller  on  the  New 
Circuit,  many  conversions  also  took  place  at  the  house  of  Michael 
Maize.  In  consequence  of  his  support  of  Albright,  Brother 
Maize  was  sorely  persecuted.  So  great  was  the  opposition  against 
the  work  that  on  one  occasion  when  John  Dreisbach  preached 
at  his  house  an  attack  was  made  and  the  preacher  narrowly 
escaped  serious  injury.  Persecution,  however,  did  not  daunt 
the  zeal  of  Brother  Maize.  Through  his  instrumentality  entrance 
was  gained  in  the  town  of  New  Berlin. 

When  the  Dry  Valley  Class  was  organized,  in  1806,  he  became 
its  leader,  and  as  this  was  the  first  class  organized  on  the  New 
Circuit,  he  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  regular  Evangel- 
ical class  leader  west  of  the  Susquehanna  River.  At  an  early  day 
he  was  licensed  as  a  local  preacher,  in  which  office  he  served  the 
church  efficiently  until  his  death  in  1842,  aged  seventy-two  years. 
His  wife  Anna  Barbara  died  in  1848,  aged  seventy-two  years. 
His  daughter  Mary  was  the  wife  of  Rev.  James  Barber.  Michael 
Maize's  home  was  a  sort  of  headquarters  in  the  early  days.  In 
his  large  barn  were  held  many  important  general  meetings  before, 
the  erection  of  the  church  at  New  Berlin. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


67 


First  Cattip-Meetillg.  The  first  camp-meeting  of  the 
Association  was  held  on  the  land  of  Brother  Maize  in  June,  1810. 
This  was  the  first  German  camp-meeting  ever  held  in  America, 
and  perhaps  of  the  world.  The  camp  was  attended  by  members 
from  all  parts  of  the  society,  some  from  a  distance  of  nearly  one 
hundred  miles.  The  meeting  was  a  season  of  great  rejoicing  and 
spiritual  quickening.  Great  multitudes  of  people  were  induced 
by  curiosity  to  see  what  the  meeting  was  like. 

The  remarkable  superstition  and  spiritual  darkness  of  that 
period  is  well  illustrated  by  the  following  description  of  the  camp- 
meeting  given  the  author  by  a  very  aged  lady  in  1868  :  She,  in 
company  with  a  great  number  of  young  men  and  women,  started 
from  the  Hills  in  (now)  Snyder  county.  They  agreed  to  keep 
close  together  for  mutual  protection  against  the  influence  of  the 
"Strawveler  preachers."  They  all  waded  across  Penns  Creek, 
which  is  a  stream  of  considerable  size.  A  half  mile  farther  on 
was  the  camp-ground.  She  said  the  woods  was  crowded  with 
people  from  far  and  near,  and  that  nearly  all  who  entered  the 
circle  of  tents  and  took  seats  were  taken  with  a  "spell,"  so  that 
some  cried  and  some  shouted  and  clapped  their  hands,  etc. 
She  and  her  company,  however,  kept  a  safe  distance  from  the 
preachers,  fearing  they  might  be  overcome  by  the  magic  power 
which  they  (the  preachers)  scattered  over  the  people. 

Beginttlng  of  the  Work  at  New  Berlin.  There  is  no 
place  in  our  connection  more  replete  with  interesting  memories 
than  New  Berlin.  What  the  city  of  Mecca  is  to  the  Moslem,  or 
Jerusalem  to  the  Jew,  New  Berlin  is  to  every  true  Evangelical. 
For  almost  half  a  century  it  was  the  general  headquarters  of  the 
church.  The  town  is  beautifully  situated  at  the  head  of  Dry 
Valley,  on  the  banks  of  Penns  Creek,  which  separates  Union 
from  Snyder  county,  and  is  about  seven  miles  west  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna River. 

When  Union  county  was  erected,  in  18 13,  from  part  of 
Northumberland  county.  New  Berlin  became  the  county  seat. 
Over  forty  years  later  Union  county  was  divided,  and  the  south- 
ern part  constituted  Snyder  county  and  the  county  seat  of  Union 
county  was  removed  to  Lewisburg,  This,  in  addition  to  the  re- 
moval of  the  Publishing  House  of  the  Evangelical  Association 
from  New  Berlin  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  proved  a  severe  blow  to 
the  prosperity  of  the  town,  and  its  decadence  followed. 

In  June,  1805,  Albright  and  his  colleagues,  Walter  and 


68  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Miller,  traveled  in  company  over  the  newly  established  North- 
umberland Circuit.  They  had  been  to  various  places  in  Penns 
and  Buffalo  Valleys.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  month  they  filled 
an  appointment  on  Sunday  at  Mifflinburg,  in  Buffalo  Valley,  about 
five  miles  north  of  New  Berlin.  On  Monday  following  they  came 
to  Dry  Valley  and  dined  at  Michael  Maize's,  who  resided  a  short 
distance  below  New  Berlin.  At  Walter's  request  Brother  Maize 
secured  permission  for  him  to  preach  in  a  school-house  near  the 
southern  end  of  the  town,  and  he  preached  there  a  number  of 
times.  Opposition,  however,  arose,  and  the  trustees  refused  the 
further  use  of  the  school-house.  In  August,  Walter  came  to  fill 
an  appointment  here,  and  found  the  door  barred  against  him. 
He  then  preached  to  an  immense  number  of  people,  standing  in 
front  of  the  school-house  door.  The  wonderful  incident  of  the 
door  flying  open  during  the  sermon  as  by  miraculous  power  the 
reader  will  find  in  Walter's  biography. 

The  first  man  to  open  his  house  in  New  Berlin  as  a  preaching 
place  for  Albright  and  his  colleagues  was  Henry  Shreffler, 
who  later  removed  to  Penns  Valley,  Centre  county,  where  he  died 
in  1837,  aged  eighty-five  years.  A  number  of  his  family  were 
also  members  of  the  original  class.  Other  influential  members 
of  the  society  at  New  Berlin,  who  were  converted  under  the  min- 
istry of  Albright  and  his  colleagues  in  1805-7,  were  the  follow- 
ing :  John  Adam  Maize  and  his  wife  Mary.  He  was  a  close 
friend  of  R^v.  Geo.  Miller,  and  it  is  said  he  assisted  him  in  the 
preparation  and  publication  of  the  first  Discipline  of  the  church, 
in  1809.  His  son,  Michael  F.  Maize,  entered  the  itinerancy  in 
1833,  and  was  for  some  years  a  prominent  man  in  the  church. 
John  Adam  Maize  died  in  1866,  aged  eighty-three  years.  Peter 
Smith  and  his  wife  Magdalena  were  chief  members  of  the  New 
Berlin  society.  He  died  in  the  early  part  of  the  century.'  ^His 
wife  died  in  the  western  part  of  the  State  in  1851,  aged  eighty- 
eight  years.  Michael  Shower  and  wife,  and  also  Adam  Shower 
and  his  wife  Catharine  (the  latter  family  removed  to  Venango 
county.  Pa. )  were  also  members  of  the  original  class.  Frederick 
Shower,  a  member  of  one  of  these  families,  entered  the  itiner- 
ancy in  181 2,  and  rendered  several  years  of  successful  service. 
In  1816  he  was  sent  as  one  of  the  two  missionaries  to  Ohio  to 
establish  the  work  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in  that  State, 
but  was  lost  to  the  church  through  a  misalliance.  This  he  after- 
wards regretted,  and  was  again  received  into  the  church  in  1828, 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


69 


and  died  within  her  fold.  Michael  Wagoner  and  his  wife 
Grate  were  also  of  the  first  members  of  the  cbss,  and  lived  to 
an  advanced  age.    He  died  in  1863. 

The  First  Church.  The  fast  church  edifice  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association  was  erected  at  New  Berlin  in  1816,  and  dedi- 
cated March  2,  181 7,  by  Rev.  John  Dreisbach,  who  preached 
from  Psalm  xxxvii.  4.  The  building  was  a  log  structure,  34x38 
feet  in  dimensions.  In  later  years  it  was  remodeled  and  sur- 
mounted with  a  belfry  and  bell.  \Vhen  the  church  was  demolished 
in  1873,  a  general  expression  of  regret  was  manifested  in  all  parts 
of  the  church  that  a  place  of  such  historic  interest  was  not  pre- 
served. How  sacred  the  memories  that  clustered  around  it !  In 
it  the  infant  church,  which  but  the  previous  year  was  named 
"The  Evangelical  Association,"  found  a  home,  and  for  five  suc- 
cessive years  the  annual  conference  was  held  in  it,  ( 1818-1822), 
besides  thirteen  times  thereafter,  also  three  sessions  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference.  Men  who  afterwards  became  prominent  in  the 
church  here  received  their  commissions,  among  whom  may  be 
mentioned  Bishops  Seybert,  Long  and  Orwig,  James  Barber, 
P.  Wagoner,  Adam  Kleinfelter,  John  Breidenstein,  John 
Hamilton,  J.  M.  Saylor  and  Francis  Hoffman.  In  this  church 
also,  great  revivals  took  place.  Immediately  in  the  rear  of  the 
church,  on  the  bank  of  the  creek,  stood  the  school-house  where 
the  remarkable  incident  recorded  in  the  biography  of  Walter 
occurred. 

The  first  printing  house  of  the  society  was  erected  by  the  side 
of  the  church  in  1817.  Its  size  was  20x28  feet.  Many  years 
afterwards  it  was  removed  to  the  opposite  corner  and  is  still 
(1894)  in  use  as  a  dwelling. 

On  April  27,  1816,  Conrad  Phillips  and  John  Walter, 
acting  for  the  Association,  purchased  a  lot  on  the  north  side  of 
the  town  for  burial  purpoges,  in  which  many  of  our  Evangelical 
fathers  found  sepulture,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  George 
and  Solomon  Miller,  Albright's  associates,  Thos.  Buck,  Jas. 
Barber,  Michael  Maize,  Sr.,  and  his  brother  John  H.,  Geo. 
Miller,  "the  printer,"  and  many  others. 

Educational  Interests.  New  Berlin  is  also  the  birthplace 
of  the  educational  interests  of  the  church.  In  1846  the  West 
Pennsylvania  Conference  at  its  annual  session  here  organized  the 
first  educational  society.  At  the  General  Conference  held  here 
the  followin/T  year  John  Dreisbach  offered  the  first  resolution 


TO  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


for  the  establishment  of  an  institution  of  learning,  the  ultimate 
result  of  which  was  the  establishment  of  Union  Seminary  at  New 
Berlin,  which  in  course  of  time  developed  into  Central  Pennsyl- 
vania College. 

Dry  Valley — The  Eyer  Family.  In  1773  a  Mennonite 
preacher  named  Abraham  Eyer  removed  from  Lancaster  county, 
Pa.,  to  Dry  Valley,  Northumberland  county  (now  Union).  The 
peculiar  circumstances  which  led  to  his  removal  to  this  valley, 
and  his  important  connection  with  the  church  in  its  infancy, 
entitle  him  to  prominent  notice  in  its  history. 

Being  in  somewhat  straitened  circumstances,  with  an  increas- 
ing family  dependent  upon  him  for  support,  he  resolved  to  bring 
the  matter  before  the  Lord  in  prayer,  and  ask  His  will  and 
guidance  in  taking  such  a  course  that  would  bring  both  him  and 
his  family  temporal  and  spiritual  blessings.  The  answer  of  the 
Lord  was,  "Go  to  Shamokin."*  As  oft  as  he  repeated  his  peti- 
tion, the  answer  came  with  unmistakable  clearness — to  his  mind 
— "Go  to  Shamokin."  How  similar  the  case  of  Father  Ever 
with  that  of  the  patriarch  Abraham  of  old.  "Now,  the  Lord 
had  said  unto  Abraham,  get  thee  out  of  thy  country,  and  from 
thy  kindred,  and  from  thy  father's  house,  unto  a  land  that  I  will 
show  thee,"  &c.    Gen.  xii.  i. 

Following  the  leading  of  Providence,  he  started  with  his  fam- 
ily for  the  Shamokin  country.  Turning  up  the  valley,  he  halted 
at  a  big  white-oak  tree,  at  a  point  about  two  miles  west  of  the 
West  Branch,  and  about  five  miles  east  of  New  Berlin.  His 
earthly  possessions  consisted  of  his  team,  and  such  articles  as  he 
was  able  to  bring  with  him,  and  three  dollars  in  money. 

Here  he  found  a  considerable  tract  of  land  still  vacant, which 
he  took  up.  For  many  years  the  oak  tree  was  permitted  to  stand 
as  a  memorial  of  the  event,  and  was,  a  conspicuous  object,  as 
viewed  from  the  road  leading  to  New  Berlin. 

After  making  extensive  improvements  here,  he  acquired  in 
May,  1797,  another  farm  on  the  river,  where  the  town  of  Winfield 
now  stands.  Leaving  the  old  farm  in  the  hands  of  other  mem- 
bers of  the  family,  he  removed  to  his  River  farm  about  the 
commencement  of  the  present  century.    Ever  was  one  of  the  first 


*The  region  about  the  confluence  of  the  North  and  West  Branches  of  the 
Susquehanna  River  was  then  called  "Shamokin." 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


71 


men  in  this  region  to  open  his  doors  to  Albright,  and  his  house 
on  the  "River  farm"  became  one  of  the  first  regular  preaching 
places  west  of  the  Susquehanna,  in  1804. 

Although  he  was  for  many  years  previous  a  consistent  Chris- 
tian, as  he  understood  ii,  and  an  expounder  of  the  Bible,  yet  it 
would  seem  that  he  lived  only  a  moral  life  and  knew  but  little 
of  the  spiritual  power  of  religion.  A  great  change,  however,  was 
wrought  in  him  and  his  family  (most  of  whom  were  now  grown) 
by  the  faithful  preaching  of  the  gospel.  We  will  give  the  circum- 
stances as  recorded  in  George  Miller's  journal  of  his  labors  in 
1806:  "In  Ever's  neighborhood  the  Lord  wrought  repentance, 
but  the  family  I  gave  up  for  some  time  because  it  seemed  to  be 
their  purpose  to  be  destroyed  in  their  own  self-righteousness. 
However,  through  God's  leadings  I  received  new  courage  to 
preach  the  word  to  them.  I  then  preached  with  might  against 
the  love  of  the  world  and  self-righteousness,  that  they  might  own 
themselves  condemned  sinners.  They  were  at  first  offended  over 
it,  but  God  gave  grace,  so  that  most  of  them  became  true  Chris- 
tians, as  well  as  other  persons  in  the  neighborhood." 

Henceforth  this  large  and  excellent  family,  with  the  exception 
of  one  son,  threw  the  weight  of  its  influence  on  the  side  of 
Albright  and  his  associates.  The  father  became  a  power  in  the 
infant  society,  many  general  meetings  were  held  at  his  place,  at 
which  times  he  would  feed  hundreds  of  people.  The  son  already 
referred  to,  predicted  that  the  Albrights  would  eat  hina  out  of 
house  and  home,  and  he  would  be  obliged  to  beg  for  a  living, 
but  his  brother  Isaac  told  him  that  he  that  dug  a  pit  for  others 
was  apt  to  fall  into  it  himself.  This  prediction  was  literally  ful- 
filled, as  the  recreant  son  died  in  want  on  top  of  Nippenose 
Mountain,  while  the  liberal  father  always  had  enough  and  to 
spare.  Although  Father  Ever  was  small  of  stature,  he  possessed 
extraordinary  strength  and  agility,  and  frequently  surprised  the 
big  rowdies  who  disturbed  the  meetings  by  the  summary  manner 
in  which  he  ejected  them  from  the  house.  He  always  maintained 
that  God  gave  him  special  strength  for  such  occasions. 

A  remarkable  instance  of  the  importance  of  a  word  in  season 
deserves  to  be  recorded  here.  It  was  Father  Ever's  custom  to 
gather  his  family  every  Sabbath  afternoon  around  a  large  table, 
when  he  would  read  and  explain  the  Scriptures  to  them.  About 
this  time  there  was  living  with  them  the  young  school  teacher  of 
the  place,  who  was  preparing  himself  for  the  ministry  of  the 


72  E  VANOELIGAL  ASSO  CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


Reformed  Church.  At  one  of  these  Bible  readings  this  young 
man  began  to  critcise  the  old  gentleman's  comments  and  exhor 
tations  by  saying  that  this  was  unnecessary,  and  ihat  superfluous, 
etc.,  whereupon  Father  Ever  arose  to  his  feet  and  began  to  exhort 
the  young  man  in  an  earnest  manner,  telling  him  that  he  was  a 
stranger  to  vital  godliness  and  knew  nothing  of  experimental 
religion.  The  effect  on  the  young  man's  mind  was  immediate 
and  powerful.  He  was  deeply  convicted  of  his  sinful  condition, 
and  soon  thereafter  converted  to  God,  and  in  1809  entered  the 
itinerancy.  This  was  none  other  than  Henry  Niebel,  whose 
name  stands  inseparably  connected  with  the  early  history  of  the 
church. 

No  laymen  in  the  early  history  of  the  church  wielded  a  greater 
influence  than  Father  Ever.  His  two  sons-in-law,  when  still 
young  men,  became  the  leaders  of  the  society,  and  it  is  no  pre- 
sumption to  say  that  his  fatherly  counsels  had  great  weight  in 
shaping  the  affairs  of  the  church.  His  family  consisted  of  thir- 
teen adult  children,  as  follows,  in  the  order  of  their  ages :  John, 
Barbara,  Abraham,  Elizabeth,  Magdalena,  Anna,  Catharine, 
Mary,  Fannie,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Sarah  and  Christian. 

John  Dreisbach,  who,  next  to  Albright  himself,  is  the  most 
important  figure  in  the  history  of  the  church,  married  Eyer's 
daughter  Catharine  in  i8ii.  On  April  4,  1815,  she  died,  leav- 
ing two  children.  About  two  years  after  her  death  he  married 
her  sister  Fannie,  with  whom  he  had  eleven  children.  Of  the 
above  two  sons,  Abraham  and  Jacob,  became  ministers,  while 
many  grandchildren  are  ministers  and  ministers'  wives.  Barbara 
married  Rev.  David  Shellenberger,  and  their  son  also  was  a 
minister.  Sarah  married  John  Van  Buskirk.  One  of  their 
daughters  married  Rev.  S.  Aurand,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Confer- 
ence, who  is  now  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  conference.  Henky 
Niebel  (the  young  schoolmaster)  married  Mary.  Two  brothers, 
Daniel  and  Philip  Hoy,  married  Molly  (Magdalena)  and 
Lizzie,  respectively.  Both  brothers  migrated  to  Ohio  in  1806, 
and  were  the  first  to  receive  our  missionaries  in  1816,  and  without 
doubt  the  first  members  of  the  church  in  that  State.  They  were 
both  strong  pillars  on  the  old  Lancaster  Circuit.  Some  of  the 
first  camp  and  general  meetings  of  our  church  in  that  State  were 
held  at  their  places.  Molly  Hoy  (Daniel's  wife)  was  especially 
noted  for  her  kindness  of  heart.  When  that  region  was  still 
sparsely  settled  she  would  go  many  miles  through  the  darkness 


THE  EARLY  J) AYS. 


73 


of  the  night  to  visit  the  sick  and  relieve  the  suffering.  Her 
daughter  Catharine  married  Rev.  Joseph  Long,  who  became 
the  second  bishop  of  the  church.  Martin  Dreisbach  (cousin 
of  Rev.  John  D.  )  married  Anna  Ever.  Said  Martin  D.  had 
migrated  to  Ohio  about  1809  or  1810  with  wife  and  five  children. 
On  his  way  to  Ohio  his  wife  died,  at  or  near  Pittsburg,  Pa.  He 
proceeded  on  his  way  with  his  motherless  children  and  settled  in 
Ross  county,  twelve  miles  east  of  Chilicothe.  In  course  of  time 
he  returned  East  and  married  Anna  Ever,  who  made  her  bridal 
trip  of  over  four  hundred  miles,  through  great  forests  and  over 
unbridged  streams  on  horseback.  They  were  also  among  the 
first  to  receive  our  preachers  in  Ohio. 

Of  the  sons  of  Father  Eyer,  perhaps  the  best  known  to  the 
church  was  the  late  Isaac  Ever,  who  possessed  the  "Valley" 
farm  of  his  father.  He  was  born  in  1793,  and  when  a  youth 
gave  his  heart  to  God  in  the  great  revival  of  1806.  For  fully 
seventy  years  he  was  identified  with  the  church,  giving  liberally 
of  his  abundant  means  for  the  furtherance  of  her  interests  and 
enterprises.  When  a  young  man  he  was  married  to  Elizabeth 
Klinefelter,  sister  of  Adam  K.,  one  of  the  early  and  prominent 
preachers  of  the  church.  He  died  June  15,  1879,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-five  years.    His  wife  died  in  1888,  aged  ninety  years. 

Abraham  Ever  and  wife  repose  in  the  cemetery  a  few  hundred 
yards  from  the  old  home,  still  standing  as  a  monument  of  the 
days  of  power.  The  tombstones  are  mossy  with  age.  The  inscrip- 
tions are  German,  and  translated  read,  "/«  memory  of  Abraham 
Eyer.  Was  born  l6th  of  May,  1748,  and  died  jd  October,  18  2j." 
"Catharine  Ever  was  born  15th  October,  1752,  and  was  mar- 
ried to  Abraham  Eyer  in  the  month  of  May,  1770.  Died  the 
2 2d  September,  1805, aged  fifty-three  years, less  twenty-four  days." 

As  we  stand  by  the  silent  grave  of  this  illustrious  father  and 
recall  the  history  of  his  family,  in  all  its  connections  with  the 
church,  we  feel  that  we  speak  within  the  bounds  of  propriety, 
when  we  say  that  no  other  layman  of  the  early  church  (with 
perhaps  one  exception)  has  made  his  influence  felt  more  potently 
in  our  Evangelical  Zion  than  Abraham  Eyer,  including  his  sons- 
in-law.  Revs.  Dreisbach,  Niebel  and  Shellenperger.  The 
number  of  preachers  and  preacher's  wives  who  represent  his 
family  in  the  itinerant  ranks  number  upwards  of  thirty. 

His  old  home  on  the  river  was  an  important  point  in  the  early 
history  of  the  church.    In  June,  1 8 1 6,  the  ninth  annual  conference 


74  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


was  held  here.  His  two  sons-in-law  were  now  the  leaders  of 
the  church.  John  Dreisbach  was  president  and  Henry  Niebel 
secretary  of  the  conference,  and  both  of  them  presiding  elders. 
The  whole  church  at  this  time  consisted  of  twelve  fields  of  labor, 
divided  into  two  districts. 

As  our  work  at  this  point  was  exclusively  German,  the  follow- 
ing incident  may  serve  to  illustrate  the  eifect  of  a  powerful  sermon 
— even  though  imperfectly  understood.  In  the  vicinity  of  Eyer's 
lived  an  Irishman  by  the  name  of  "Billy"  Gibbons.  One  day 
in  1807,  in  going  to  the  mill,  he  was  obliged  to  pass  Eyer's 
house  at  preaching  time.  The  preacher  spoke  with  the  force  and 
earnestness  characteristic  of  our  early  preachers.  This  made  an 
impression  on  "Billy."  Stopping  a  moment,  he  listened.  He 
knew  enough  of  German  to  understand  that  he  said,  "One  must 
know  that  his  sins  are  forgiven."  This  was  God's  message  of 
salvation  to  him.  He  was  deeply  convicted  of  sin,  and  after  a 
long  penitential  struggle  was  gloriously  saved,  and  was  thereafter 
known  as  "Happy  Billy."  He  was  indeed  a  happy  Christian, 
and  became  a  pillar  in  the  church.  His  wife  was  also  converted 
at  the  same  time.    He  died  in  1850,  aged  eighty  years. 

The  members  here  were  connected  with  the  Dry  Valley  Class, 
which  originally  embraced  all  the  members  in  the  valley  from 
the  river  to  New  Berlin. 

The  Phillips  Family.  In  i8n  George  Phillips  and  his 
son  Conrad,  from  Northampton  county,  who  were  among  the 
first  fruits  of  Albright's  labors,  removed  to  a  farm  adjoining 
the  Ever  place.  Their  house  became  a  regular  preaching  place, 
and  about  this  time  a  separate  class  was  formed.  In  1827  John 
Young  was  converted  here.  He  was  soon  thereafter  licensed  to 
preach,  and  in  183 1  entered  the  active  ministry  and  rendered 
sixteen  years  of  service.  lie  died  in  peace  near  Williamsport, 
Pa.,  in  1873,  aged  seventy-six  years.  His  wife  Elizabeth  pre- 
ceded him  about  one  week.  They  gave  as  a  precious  legacy  to 
the  church  five  sons,  who  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Central  Pa. 
Conference,  viz. :  John,  Jacob,  Reuben,  Noah  and  William, 
the  latter  a  local  preacher. 

Buffalo  Valley — The  Dreisbach  Family.  Among  the 
first  settlers  of  Buffalo  Valley,  Northumberland  (now  Union) 
county.  Pa.,  was  Martin  Dreisbach,  Sr.,whocame  from  Germany 


7  HE  EARL  Y  DA  TS.  16 

and  landed  at  Philadelphia  Oct.  4,  1751.*  After  residing  in 
Lancaster  and  Berks  counties  he  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in 
Buffalo  Valley,  to  which  he  removed  in  1773.  There  he  died  in 
^799>  aged  eighty-two  years.  His  wife  Anna  died  ten  years 
previous,  aged  sixty-five  years.  He  had  four  sons,  Jacob,  Henry, 
John  and  Martin,  and  two  daughters,  Margaret  and  Catha- 
rine, married  to  Henry  Aurand  and  Peter  Fisher,  respectively. 

In  1788  Martin  Dreisbach,  Sr.,  donated  several  acres  of 
land  for  the  use  of  the  first  German  church  in  the  valley,  which 
was  a  log  structure,  built  jointly  by  the  Lutheran  and  Reformed 
people.    This  church  was  replaced  by  a  brick  edifice  in  1839. 

The  Dreisbachs,  in  common  with  the  early  settlers  of  the 
valley,  suffered  much  from  the  incursions  of  the  Indians,  and 
several  of  their  neighbors  were  cruelly  massacred  by  them.  On 
July  14,  1780,  Baltzer  Kleinsmith,  who  lived  about  one  mile 
south  of  Dreisbach's,  was  murdered  by  the  savages  in  a  field 
in  which  he  was  working.  This  was  near  the  house  of  Father 
George  Books,  Sr.,  whose  daughter  Sabina  assisted  in  carrying 
the  dead  man  to  his  home.f  A  few  years  later  this  young  woman 
was  married  to  Martin  Dreisbach,  and  became  the  mother  of 
Rev.  John  Dreisbach.  Her  father,  George  Books,  emigrated 
from  Germany  in  1736.  J 

The  family  of  Martin  Dreisbach,  Jr.,  and  his  wife  Sabina 
were  the  following  :  Rev.  John  Dreisbach,  who  became  a  co- 
laborer  with  Albright  ;  Anna,  married  to  Rev.  Andrew  Wolf, 
who  was  also  one  of  the  first  members ;  Susan,  married  to  John 
Buchwalter;  Leah,  married  to  John  S.  Dunkel,  and  Eliza- 
beth, married  to  David  Dunkel,  and  Martin  Dreisbach,  late 
associate  judge  of  Union  county. 

Religious  Awakening.  The  first  religious  awakening  in 
Buffalo  Valley  began  about  1792,  under  the  preaching  of  Rev. 
John  G.  Phreemer,  who  was  a  co-worker  with  Boehm,  Chris- 
tian Newcommer  and  others,  in  the  religious  movement  which 
led  to  the  establishment  of  the  United  Brethren  Church.  He 
frequently  preached  at  Dreisbach's  church,  and  his  labor  was 
not  in  vain.    The  spiritual  condition  of  Buffalo  Valley  at  this 

*  Ship  Queen  of  Denmark.  George  Parish,  captain.  Shipped  from  Rot- 
terdam. 

\  Linn's  Annals  of  Buffalo  Valley,  page  189. 
J  RUPP'S  History,  page  47. 


» 

76  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


time  was  truly  deplorable,  as  the  following  extract  from  "Har- 
baugh's  Fathers  of  the  Reformed  Church  "  will  show  : 

"The  Buffalo  church,  now  called  Dreisbach's,  had  for  some 
time  been  in  a  distracted  condition,  having  the  irregular  attention 
of  the  irregular  Phreemer,  but  was  for  the  most  part  closed 
entirely.  The  young  men  were  growing  up  without  adequate 
spiritual  instruction,  and  the  old  members  having  passed  through 
scenes  of  strife,  had  grown  to  a  great  degree  indifferent." 

In  1795  Christian  Newcommer*  and  George  Adam  Guet- 
ING  visited  the  valley  and  strengthened  the  work  of  Phreemer. 
Many  of  the  best  families  opened  their  houses  as  preaching  places 
for  the  "new  preachers,"  as  they  were  called.  Among  those 
who  received  them  was  Martin  Dreisbach,  Jr.  On  Oct.  18, 
1800,  the  first  quarterly  or  big  meeting  was  held  at  Dreisbach's,. 
attended  by  Newcommer,  Phreemer,  Snyder  and  Gueting. 
It  would  seem  that  from  that  time  Martin  Dreisbach  actively 
identified  himself  with  the  Evangelical  movement,  but  like  many 
others  retained  his  connection  with  the  Reformed  Church.  He 
formed  a  strong  attachment  for  that  eminent  man  of  God,  Chris- 
tian Newcommer,  as  the  numerous  entries  in  the  journal  of  the 
latter  plainly  indicate.  His  house,  however,  was  open  to  all  who 
preached  the  gospel  in  its  purity,  among  whom  was  the  founder 
of  the  Evangelical  Association,  Jacob  Albright. 

Albright's  Visit  — Great  Revival.  The  time  when  Al- 
bright first  visited  Dreisbach  cannot  now  be  ascertained,  but 
was  some  time  prior  to  1804.  Notwithstanding  the  labors  of  the 
brethren  mentioned,  there  was  no  class  organization  of  the  people 
professing  conversion,  as  many  considered  it  very  wrong  to  leave 
the  fold  of  the  old  church  in  which  they  had  made  their  confir- 
mation vows.  Neither  had  a  revival,  such  as  in  olden  times  was 
called  a  "  Durchbruch,"  taken  place. 

When  Rev.  George  Miller  was  appointed  to  the  new  circuit 
in  June,  1806,  a  revival  began  which,  in  one  year,  resulted  in 
almost  doubling  the  membership  of  the  Association,  and  in  the 
organization  of  six  classes.  This  glorious  result  was  the  fruit  of 
the  faith  and  extraordinary  zeal  of  this  man  of  God.  He  says 
in  his  autobiography:  "I  resolved  therefore  to  commence  the 
work  with  fasting  and  prayer,  relying  on  the  help  of  God,  and  to 
preach  the  truth  unfeignedly,  even  if  no  man  should  be  pleased 


*  Later  a  bishop  in  the  United  Brethren  Church. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


rr 


with  my  preaching,  if  only  God  be  satisfied  with  it.  Hence  I 
often  wept  during  my  journeyings  from  one  preaching  place  to 
another,  that  I  might  be  acceptable  to  God  and  useful  to  my 
fellow  beings.''  In  this  spirit  the  preacher  prosecuted  his  minis- 
try, and  the  Lord  wonderfully  blessed  his  labors. 

On  Oct.  25,  1806,  a  general  meeting  was  held  at  Dreisbach's, 
which  was  attended  by  great  numbers.  Of  this  meeting  Miller 
says  :  "I  expected  that  the  penitent  and  newly-converted  souls 
on  the  circuit,  of  whom  I  had  united  about  forty  into  classes, 
would  meet  there ;  therefore  I  prayed  much  on  their  account 
unto  the  Lord,  and  that  He  would  be  pleased  to  bring  the  breth- 
ren Albright  and  Walter,  clothed  with  power  from  on  high,  to 
the  meetings.  The  appointed  day  came  and  my  wishes  were 
realized,  for  both  preachers  and  members,  together  with  a  large 
number  of  penitents,  were  present.  My  feelings  on  that  occasion 
cannot  be  described,  for  I  was  sad  and  joyful  at  the  same  time, 
and  experienced  in  my  own  soul  the  powerful  words  of  our 
Saviour,  'Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they  shall  be  com- 
forted.' While  humbled  before  God,  praying  that  sinners  might 
be  converted,  the  happiest  feelings  of  consolation  and  divine 
favor  filled  my  heart.  I  had  to  preach  the  opening  sermon,  and 
during  its  delivery  the  power  of  God  came  in  such  torrents  upon 
the  congregation  that  many  fell  upon  their  knees  and  prayed  with 
tears  to  the  Lord  for  the  pardon  of  their  sins.  Albright  and 
Walter  preached  so  powerfully  and  pointedly  that  the  congre- 
gation was  visited  with  showers  of  divine  grace,  and  in  every 
room  the  cries  of  penitent  sinners  were  heard,  and  many  souls 
were  converted.  The  voice  of  praise  and  thanksgiving  unto  the 
Lord  could  also  be  heard  everywhere  in  the  house,  and  there 
was  great  joy  in  the  Lord  among  the  brethren." 

The  fire  of  the  Lord  thus  kindled  in  the  hearts  of  his  people 
at  Dreisbach's  was  carried  to  all  parts  of  the  charge,  revivals 
followed  everywhere  and  class  organizations  were  effected.  Mar- 
tin Dreisbach  became  the  leader  of  the  Buffalo  Valley  Class. 

Drelsbach  Class.  Father  Dreisbach's  entire  family, with 
the  exception  of  the  youngest,  who  was  small,  were  converted 
and  became  members  of  the  society,  with  his  aged  mother-in-law, 
Christina  Books,  widow  of  the  emigrant  George  Books,  Sr., 
and  Martin  Dreisbach,  Jr.  (son  of  Jacob),  and  his  wife.  About 
1810  Martin  Dreisbach  removed  to  Ohio,  and  was  one  of  our 
first  members  there.    Other  important  preaching  places  in  this 


78  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


neighborhood  were  as  follows :  John  Aurand  and  wife  Catha- 
rine. Their  house,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Dreis- 
bach's,  was  a  preaching  place  as  early  as  1802.  Bro.  A.  died  in 
1809.  His  son  John  was  also  one  of  the  first  members,  and  later 
his  son  Abraham  also  became  a  member.  This  place  was  noted 
for  camp-meetings.  Philip  Hoy,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Buffalo  Valley,  who  died  at  an  early  day,  lived  several  miles  west 
of  Dreisbach's.  His  house  was  one  of  the  first  preaching  places, 
as  was  also  that  of  George  Wormley,  near  Dreisbach's,  and 
Bro.  W.  and  wife  were  among  our  first  members.  In  later  years 
they  removed  to  Seneca  county,  N.  Y.  George  Wolf's  house, 
a  few  miles  southeast  of  Dreisbach's,  was  also  a  preaching  place, 
and  his  sons  Christian  and  Leonard,  with  their  wives,  and 
Andrew,  and  Catharine,  the  wife  of  his  son  Michael,  became 
members  in  1806.  (See  Lewisburg. )  Besides  the  foregoing, 
Henry  Herpst  and  his  wife  Catharine  and  George  Riehm  and 


Biographical  Notes  on  the  Dreisbach  Family. —  Martin  •  Dreis- 
BACH  was  one  of  the  main  supporters  of  Jacob  Albright  and  his  work.  He 
was  known  throughout  the  entire  connection  as  a  devoted  father  in  Israel.  He 
was  entrusted  with  the  conference  subsidiary  funds  and  bequests,  which  office 
he  resigned  in  1829  because  of  failing  health.  In  his  house  the  annual  confer- 
ences of  1812,  1813  and  1814  were  held,  as  was  also  the  first  General  Conference 
in  1816,  at  which  conference  our  connection  received  its  name,  ''The  Evangelical 
Association."  Father  Dreisbach  was  born  in  Berks  county,  near  Reading, 
Pa.,  in  1764,  and  died  in  1831.  His  wife  Sabina  Fredrica  was  born  in  1762 
and  died  in  1847,  at  Amanda,  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  whither  she  had  gone 
to  spend  her  last  days  with  her  youngest  daughter,  Elizabeth  Dunkel.  Their 
oldest  son.  Rev.  John  Dreisbach,  was  born  in  1789,  and  died  at  Circleville, 
Ohio,  in  1871,  aged  eighty-two  years.  Anna  (Wolk)  died  near  Lewisburg, 
Pa.,  in  1871,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  SusAN  (Buchwalter)  died  in  Ross 
county,  Ohio,  in  1881,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  Leah  (Mrs.  J.  S.  Du.vkel) 
died  in  1884,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  David  Dunkel)  died 
in  1883,  aged  eighty-four  years.  Hon.  Martin  Dreisbach  died  in  Lewisburg, 
Pa.,  in  1880,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 

John  S.  Dunkel,  son-in-law  of  Martin  Dreisbach,  deserves  mention  in 
this  connection.  He  was  a  man  of  means  and  business  abilities,  and  favorably 
known  far  and  near.  His  house,  which  was  near  that  of  his  father-in-law, 
became  Evangelical  headquarters  for  the  valley  after  the  death  of  the  latter. 
His  large  barn  was  a  favorite  place  for  holding  general  meetings,  and  in  his 
house  was  organized,  on  March  I,  1839,  the  General  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Evangelical  Association.  Bro.  DuNKEL  was  its  first  treasurer,  and  retained  the 
office  many  years.  He  died  in  1864,  aged  sixty-seven  years.  Three  daughters, 
Susan,  Sophia  and  Mary,  were  united  in  marriage  with  Evangelical  ministers 
Charles  Hammer,  J.  G.  Miller  and  Benjamin  Hengst,  respectively. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


79 


wife  were  of  the  first  members.  The  persons  named,  who  consti- 
tuted the  Dreisbach  Class  as  organized  in  1806,  were  with  few 
exceptions  in  good  circumstances  and  highly  respectable  citizens. 
In  course  of  time  it  became  one  of  the  most  important  classes  in 
the  church,  but  through  extensive  emigration  and  deaths  it  was 
greatly  reduced  in  later  years. 

Lewisburgy  in  the  early  days  known  as  Derrstown,  is  situated 
at  the  eastern  extremity  of  Buffalo  Valley,  on  the  West  Branch 
of  the  Susquehanna  River.  Our  first  preachers  did  not  gain 
entrance  there  until  1806.    Christian  Wolf  became  acquainted 

Biographical  Notes  on  the  Wolf  Family. — About  1796  George  Wofl, 
Sr.,  emigrated  from  Tulpehocken,  Berks  county.  Pa.,  to  Buffalo  Valley,  and 
settled  about  three  miles  southwest  of  Lewisburg.  He  was  a  pious  man,  then 
well  advanced  in  life,  and  most  of  his  children  were  heads  of  families.  He  had 
sons,  Christian,  Michael,  Leonard,  Peter,  John,  Jacob*  and  Andrew, 
besides  several  daughters.  He  died  in  1823  at  the  age  of  ninety  years.  There 
is  some  uncertainty  as  to  the  extent  to  which  he  identified  himself  with  the  work 
of  Jacob  Albright.  It  is,  however,  certain  that  his  house  was  a  preaching 
place  in  the  early  days.  A  grandson,  the  late  Jonathan  Wolf,  who  died  at 
an  advanced  age,  informed  the  author  that  in  his  youth  he  often  attended  the 
".\lbright  "  meetings  at  his  grandfather's  house.  A  number  of  his  children 
were  among  the  first  members  of  our  society  in  the  valley,  several  of  whom  we 
will  notice  in  this  connection  :  Rev.  Christian  Wolf  lived  in  Lewisburg,  and 
through  him  principally  the  work  was  established  there.  In  1807  he,  with 
others,  removed  to  Seneca  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  was  instrumental  in  the 
organization  of  the  first  society  of  the  church  outside  of  Pennsylvania.  He  was 
early  licensed  to  preach,  and  was  ordained  deacon  in  1821.  In  1825  he  served 
as  an  itinerant.  He  died  near  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  in  1833,  aged  fifty-four 
years.  His  companion  (Barbara)  died  in  1838,  aged  fifty-nine  years.  Andrew 
Wolf,  youngest  son  of  George  Wolf,  Esq.,  was  married  to  Anna,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Martin  Dreisbach.  He  was  one  of  the  first  local  preachers.  In  1808 
he  accompanied  his  brother-in-law,  John  Dreisbach,  to  a  general  meeting  at 
Becker's,  on  the  Muehlbach,  Lebanon  county.  On  their  return  they  held  a 
meeting  at  the  house  of  Peter  Walter,  near  Jonestown,  where  they  were 
mobbed  and  treated  shamefully.  Bro.  Wolf  died  in  1871,  aged  eighty-seven 
years.  His  wife  died  the  same  year,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  Their  son 
Aaron  entered  the  itinerancy  in  1842,  and  after  a  number  of  years  of  successful 
labor  in  the  West  Pa.  Conference,  removed  to  Illinois.  Simon,  another  son, 
entered  the  itinerancy  in  1846,  and  rendered  twenty-one  years  of  service  in  the 
(now)  Central  Pa.  Conference.  He  died  in  1890,  aged  seventy-five  years. 
Two  daughters,  Anna  and  Leah, were  married  to  Evangelical  itinerants, Henry 
Rohland  and  Benjamin  Hess,  respectively.  Leonard  Wolf  removed  to 
Ohio,  and  with  his  family  was  among  the  first  members  in  that  State,  and  his 
house  was  one  of  the  first  preaching  places  in  1816.  Michael  Wolf  never 
became  a  member,  but  his  wife  was  converted  under  Albright  and  colleagues 
and  became  a  member,  and  their  house  was  opened  to  the  preachers. 

*  Grandfather  of  the  late  Hon.  Chas.  S.  Wolf. 


80  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANKALS. 


with  Albright  and  co-laborers  at  the  house  of  his  brother-in- 
law,  Martin  Dreisbach.  When  George  Miller  was  sent  by 
Albright,  in  iSo6,  to  serve  the  new  circuit,  he  was  received  by 
Wolf  and  others.  A  revival  took  place  here  in  the  Autumn  of 
1806,  and  a  class  was  formed  comprised  of  the  following :  Chris- 
tian Wolf  and  his  wife  Barbara,*  who  was  a  sister  of  Mrs. 
Martin  Dreisbach.  Bro.  Wolf  was  a  hatter,  and  his  place  of 
business  and  house  stood  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Market 
and  Second  streets.  He  was  the  first  class  leader.  Matthias 
Shaeffer  and  his  wife  Polly.  Bro.  S.  was  a  carpenter,  and  a 
man  of  great  respectability.  His  house  was  also  a  preaching 
place,  and  after  Bro.  Wolf's  removal  to  New  York,  in  1807,  he 
became  the  class  leader,  which  office  he  held  for  many  years. 
Elizabeth  Grove  (Groff)  survived  to  a  great  age,  and  often 
related  how  she  and  other  members  of  the  class  accompanied 
their  class  leader,  Bro.  Wolf,  to  New  Berlin  to  assist  in  the 
meetings  there  in  the  Winter  of  1806.  These  journeys  of  about 
twenty  miles  were  made  on  foot  across  the  mountain  at  night. 
They  generally  returned  the  same  night.  Michael  Smith  was 
then  advanced  in  years,  and  it  cannot  now  be  definitely  ascer- 
tained whether  he  was  a  member,  but  the  probabilities  are  that 
he  was,  as  his  family  are  known  to  have  been  converted  at  Wolf's, 
and  our  preachers  were  welcomed  by  him.  Of  his  children  we 
mention  the  following  :  Catharine,  married  to  Michael  WoLF,f 
who  was  a  brother  of  Christian,  the  class  leader.  He  lived 
near  the  Turtle  Creek,  on  the  road  leading  across  the  mountain 
to  Dry  Valley.  He  never  became  a  member,  but  was  in  hearty 
sympathy  with  our  work.  His  wife  was  one  of  the  most  devoted 
members  the  church  has  ever  had.  Their  house  was  a  preaching 
place  in  Albright's  time.  Another  daughter  of  Father  Smith 
was  Susan  Cochrane.  She  was  converted  in  1806  and  died  in 
1882,  aged  ninety-one  years,  probably  the  last  survivor  of  the 
converts  of  Albright  and  co-laborers  in  the  now  Central  Pa. 
Conference.  When  a  young  woman  she  became  the  wife  of  John 
Cochrane.  Their  home,  a  few  miles  south  of  Lewisburg,  became 
a  preaching  place  in  1817,  and  remained  a  regular  appointment 
for  nearly  half  a  century.  Elizabeth  and  Henry,  younger 
children  of  Father  Smith,  became  members  a  little  later.  John 


*  See  previous  note, 
f  See  previous  note. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


81 


AURAND  and  his  wife  Hannah,  who  lived  near  Lewisburg,  also 
became  members  in  1806,  and  their  house  a  preaching  place. 
Other  original  members  were  Jacob  Zentmeyer  and  his  wife 
Eve,  Peggy  Metzger,  Martha  Christ,  Samuel  Ream  and  his 
wife  Sarah,  Daniel  Ream  and  wife.  Father  Henry  Bellman 
and  wife,  and  son  Jacob,  and  daughter-in-law  Mary  ;  also  Rev. 
J.  G.  CoNSER  and  his  wife,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Father  Bell- 
man. Peter  Brouse  and  wife  Christena,  who  were  converted 
at  the  house  of  Father  Ever,  in  Dry  Valley,  in  1806,  also  opened 
their  house  as  a  preaching  place.  They  lived  south  of  Lewisburg. 
Bro.  Brouse  died  in  1849,  at  Liverpool,  Pa.,  aged  seventy-seven 
years.  His  wife,  who  was  remarkable  for  her  deep  piety  and 
zeal,  died  in  1866,  aged  eighty-eight  years. 

Mifflinburg— The  Orwigs  and  Brickleys.  The  town 
of  Mifflinburg  is  situated  in  Buffalo  Valley,  ten  miles  west  of 
Lewisburg,  and  five  miles  from  Dreisbach's.  Albright  and 
co-laborers  preached  there  frequently  in  the  old  Lutheran  church, 
and  some  conversions  took  place,  but  no  organization  was  effected. 
The  late  John  Rank,  Esq.,  often  related  that  in  1805  he  and 
several  other  young  men  went  from  White  Deer  to  hear  Albright 

Biographical  Notes. — John  Brickley,  Sr.,  and  wife  Magdalena,  from 
Schuylkill  county,  settled  near  Mifflinburg  in  the  early  part  of  the  century,  united 
with  the  Evangelical  Association  in  1826,  and  became  prominent  members.  He 
died  in  1838,  aged  seventy-one  years.  He  gave  three  sons  to  the  ministry  of 
the  church,  as  follows:  George  Brickley,  born  in  Schuylkill  county,  Pa.; 
entered  the  active  ministry  of  the  Eastern  Conference  in  1828  ;  was  elected  pre- 
siding elder  in  1839  ;  located  in  1846  ;  died  in  York,  Pa.,  March  17,  1889,  aged 
eighty-one  years.  Daniel  Brickley,  born  in  Schuylkill  county.  Pa.,  in  1810  ; 
entered  the  Eastern  Conference  in  1831;  was  chosen  presiding  elder  of  Ohio 
District  in  1836  ;  traveled  a  number  of  years  in  Ohio  ;  died  in  Morrow  county, 
Ohio,  in  1884,  aged  seventy-four  years.  John  Brickley,  born  in  Schuylkill 
county,  Pa.,  in  179S  ;  entered  the  Eastern  Conference  in  1835  ;  died  in  Indiana 
county,  Pa.,  in  1872. 

The  Or  WIG  family,  Gottfried  Orwig  and  his  wife  Gloria  emigrated  from 
Germany  in  1741,  and  settled  north  of  the  Blue  Mountain  in  (now)  Schuylkill 
county.  Pa.,  where  the  town  of  Orwigsburg,  formerly  the  county-seat,  was  named 
in  his  honor.  One  of  his  sons  was  George,  Sr.,  who  opened  his  house  as  a 
preaching  place  for  Jacob  Albright.  (See  Orwigsburg.)  George  Orwig 
had  two  sons,  George,  Jr.,  and  Abraham,  who  in  181 1  removed  to  Buffalo 
Valley,  Union  county,  a  few  miles  north-west  of  Mifflinburg.  George  Orwig, 
Jr.,  soon  after  his  conversion  in  1826  removed  to  the  Sandusky  country,  Ohio, 
where  his  house  was  one  of  the  early  preaching  places.  He  died  in  1852,  aged 
seventy-one  years.  Abraham  Orwig  (father  of  Rev.  W.  W.  Orwig),  died 
in  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  county,  Pa.,  in  1852,  aged  sixty-five  years. 


82  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


preach  there.  Walter  and  Miller,  his  colleagues,  were  also 
present.  Albright  preached  with  wonderful  power,  so  that  a 
great  commotion  was  caused,  and  many  fell  on  their  knees  and 
cried  aloud  for  mercy.  Brother  Rank's  companions  became 
terror-stricken,  and  pulling  him  by  the  coat  said,  "Come,  let  us 
get  out  of  this,  the  preacher  is  mad.  See,  he  is  foaming  at  the 
mouth. " 

A  short  distance  west  of  Mifflinburg  lived  John  Buechlkr, 
whose  house  was  a  preaching  place  at  an  early  day.  A  very  suc- 
cessful camp-meeting  was  held  on  his  land  in  1814.  In  1826  a 
great  awakening  took  place  in  this  locality,  and  a  number  of 
prominent  families  were  brought  into  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion, among  them  the  Bricklevs  and  Orwigs.  This  revival 
came  to  pass  in  the  following  manner :  In  1825  the  wife  of  Abra- 
ham Orwig,  accompanied  by  her  son  (the  late  Bishop  W.  W. 
Orwig),  journeyed  to  their  former  home  in  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  to 
visit  her  relatives.  The  great  revival  so  notable  in  the  history  of 
the  Evangelical  Association  was  still  in  progress  there,  and  both 
mother  and  son  were  deeply  convicted  of  sin,  but  did  not  then 
yield  to  the  influences  brought  to  bear  upon  them.  The  follow- 
ing year,  however,  the  son  was  happily  converted  and  his  bright 
experience  and  godly  life  soon  made  itself  felt  in  the  home  circle, 
and  was  the  real  beginning  of  the  revival  which  followed. 

White  Deer.  White  Deer  Valley  is  separated  from  Buffalo 
Valley  by  a  mountain  known  as  White  Deer.  Most  of  this  region 
is  embraced  in  a  township  of  that  name.  This  place  was  fre- 
quently visited  by  Albright  and  his  colleagues.  The  principal 
preaching  place  was  at  Jacob  Hoch's. 

South  of  the  mountain,  on  the  west  branch  of  the  Susque- 
hanna, is  the  village  of  New  Columbia.  Here  our  first  preachers 
also  found  entrance,  but  it  is  impossible  to  ascertain  with  cer- 
tainty who  received  them.  This  was  the  home  of  father  Johx 
Rank,  Sr.,  who  in  1796  removed  hither  from  Lancaster  county 
with  his  family.  His  house  became  a  preaching  place  for  all 
godly  ministers  soon  after  his  arrival.  In  Bishop  Christian 
Newcommer's  journal  are  several  entries  of  services  held  at 
Rank's  in  the  beginning  of  the  century.  That  Albright  was 
also  welcomed  seems  probable,  from  the  fact  that  they  were  well 
acquainted  with  each  other  in  Lancaster  county.  His  son  John 
often  related  a  pleasing  incident  connected  with  a  business  trans- 
action between  his  father  and  Albright,  before  the  conversion 


THE  EARLY  DAT8. 


83 


of  the  latter.  A  class  was  formed  at  New  Columbia  soon  after 
Albright's  death,  among  whom  were  the  Ranks,  Stahls,  Yosts 
and  RoTHROCKS.  In  later  years  Jacob  Rothrock  removed 
to  Williamsport,  and  was  the  first  member  of  the  church  there. 
Henry  Rothrock  removed  to  Seneca  county,  N.  Y.,  and  was  an 
early  member  of  our  society  at  that  place. 

John  Rank,  Esq.  It  remains  for  us  to  honor  the  memory 
of  one  whose  name  is  "as  an  ointment  poured  forth,"  and  who 
in  the  early  days  was  one  of  the  pillars  in  the  Church.  This  was 
John  Rank,  Jr.,  Esq.,  already  referred  to.  He  was  born  in 
Lancaster  county  in  1783,  and  removed  with  his  parents  to  New 
Columbia,  in  Union  county.  He  frequently  heard  Albright 
preach,*  but  was  not  converted  until  some  years  afterwards, when 
be  attended  a  watch-night  meeting  at  Martin  Dreisbach's.  He 
at  once  took  a  high  position  in  the  church  as  a  man  of  probity 
and  good  judgment.  His  home,  which  was  a  short  distance  west 
of  New  Columbia,  became  Evangelical  headquarters  for  this 
region.  The  Church  soon  recognized  his  business  abilities.  In 
1832,  when  the  Charitable  Society  was  organized,  hs  was  made 
the  first  treasurer.  At  the  same  conference  he  was  also  elected 
to  the  office  of  Publisher  and  Book  Agent  for  the  Church,  and 
for  many  years  thereafter  was  connected  with  the  publishing  in- 
terests of  the  Church.  When  the  General  Conference  of  1836 
reorganized  the  publishing  interests  and  elected  a  board  of  trus- 
tees to  purchase,  or  erect,  a  suitable  building  for  our  publishing 
business,  Brother  Rank  and  Revs.  W.  W.  Orwig  and  P.  Wagoner 
were  elected  to  the  position,  and  by  them  the  purchase  of  the 
building  was  consummated. 

Brother  Rank  was  for  many  years  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and 
so  justly  did  he  administer  the  law,  that  but  few  of  his  decisions 
were  appealed  to  a  higher  court.  He  was  prudent  and  method- 
ical in  all  his  business  matters,  and  generally  prospered  in  all  his 
ventures,  for  the  reason  that  he  undertook  nothing  without  mak- 
ing it  a  subject  of  prayer. 

His  house  was  for  many  years  a  preaching  place,  and  in  his 
woods  camp-meetings  were  held  many  years  in  succession.  His 
liberality  was  proverbial.  He  often  said  he  was  God's  steward, 
and  hence  must  be  systematic  in  his  benevolence. 

It  is  worthy  of  record  that  thirty-three  junior  preachers  had 
their  homes  with  him  in  the  same  number  of  successive  years. 


*  See  Mifflinburg  incident. 


84 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


As  one  would  depart  at  the  close  of  the  conference  year,  and  an- 
other come,  he  was  told  to  make  himself  at  home  like  one  of  the 
family.  Horse  feed,  a  furnished  room,  with  board  and  washing, 
all  as  free  as  air.  If  the  preachers  were  poor,  the  good  man 
purchased  clothing  for  them ;  when  cast  down,  discouraged,  and 
tempted  to  leave  the  ministry,  his  fatherly  counsels  gave  them 
new  courage.  After  a  long  and  singularly  useful  life,  the  Lord 
called  his  servant  home  to  his  rich  reward,  Oct.  14,  1878,  at  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-four  years,  ten  months  and  twelve  days. 
He  retained  his  faculties  to  the  last  moment  of  life,  and  died 
triumphantly,  crying  out  as  he  crossed  the  Jordan  of  death, 
"Gelobei  set  Goit .'  Gelobet  set  Gott!"  (Praise  the  Lord  !  Praise 
the  Lord  !) 

Woodward,  Centre  County.  At  the  extreme  eastern  end 
of  Penns  Valley,  where  the  road  from  Buffalo  Valley  emerges 
from  the  long  narrows  of  the  mountains,  is  situated  the  village  of 
AVoodward.  In  this  neighborhood  Albright  and  his  co-laborers 
found  a  fruitful  field,  notwithstanding  the  bitter  opposition  against 
their  work.  The  first  one  to  receive  Albright  here  was  Father 
John  Wise  and  his  wife  Eve.  This  must  have  been  soon  after 
the  beginning  of  the  century,  and  certainly  prior  to  1805.  His 
house  was  a  very  important  point,  and  many  conversions  took 
place  there  in  1806.  George  Wise,  a  brother  of  John,  and  his 
wife  Susan  were  converted  in  1806,  and  their  house  became  a 
regular  preaching  place  from  that  time.  In  later  years  their  son 
George  opened  his  house  for  regular  services.  The  house  of 
Bro.  Jacob  Merk  and  his  brother  Rudolph  became  preaching 
places  about  1805.  John  Adam  Hennig  and  family  in  part  were 
converted  in  the  great  revival  of  1806,  probably  at  the  house 
of  John  Wise.  His  house  also  became  a  preaching  place  in 
Albright's  time,  and  was  one  of  the  most  noted  places  of  the 

Biographical  Notes. — John  Adam  Hennig,  born  in  Lebanon  county. 
Pa.,  in  1757,  was  the  son  of  John  Jacob  and  Anna  Hennig.  His  family 
was  large  and  highly  respectable,  and  all  became  members  of  the  church.  Two 
daughters,  Elizabeth  and  Barbara,  were  married  to  ministers,  Jacob  Fry 
and  John  Stull,  respectively.  His  son  Adam  entered  the  ministry  in  1813, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  missionaries  west  of  the  Alleghenies  (1813)  and  Ohio 
(1816).  His  sons  Philip  and  Peter  were  converted  in  youth  and  later  emi- 
grated to  Ohio,  where  their  homes  were  among  the  first  preaching  places  on 
Canton  Circuit.  Pather  IJennig  died  in  1839,  aged  eighty-two  years.  Father 
John  Wise  died  in  1844,  ^gcd  seventy-nine  years,  and  his  wife  Eve  in  1855, 
aged  eighty-three  years.    Jacob  Merk  died  in  1837,  aged  seventy-two  years. 


TEE  EARLY  DAYS. 


85 


church  for  many  years,  especially  for  general  and  camp-meetings. 
The  camp-meeting  on  his  place  in  1827  was  especially  victorious. 
Scores  of  souls  were  converted,  some  of  whom  became  minis- 
ters and  prominent  members.  The  fourth  General  Conference, 
which  was  one  of  the  most  important  sessions,  was  held  at  his 
house  in  1830. 

Milllielttl  is  situated  about  seven  miles  west  of  Woodward, 
in  the  very  heart  of  Penns  Valley.  In  and  around  this  town 
Albright  and  his  colleagues  found  some  open  doors.  The  first 
in  the  town  to  receive  him  was  Paul  Bachman,  in  1805.  George 
SwARTZ,  who  lived  about  half  a  mile  south  of  the  town,  also 
received  him  and  opened  his  house  as  a  regular  preaching  place 
in  1805.  A  little  farther  south  lived  Henry  Smith  and  wife 
Mary,  and  Peter  Smith  and  wife  Maria.  Henry  Smith's  house 
was  opened  as  a  preaching  place  for  Albright  as  early  as  1804. 
Peter  was  converted  in  1806,  and  thereafter  their  house  was  a 
regular  appointment.  The  great  revival  of  1806  also  extended 
to  this  place,  and  many  conversions  occurred  at  the  houses  of 
George  Swartz  and  Henry  Smith.  Prominent  among  the  con- 
verts were  two  young  brothers  Matthias  and  John  Betz,  the 
former  of  whom  became  a  minister,  while  the  latter  removed  to 
Seneca  county,  Ohio,  and  was  one  of  the  first  to  receive  our  min- 
isters there. 

The  first  class  in  Penns  Valley  was  organized  by  George 
Miller  in  the  Fall  of  1806,  and  included  all  the  members  in  the 
valley,  some  of  whom,  as  we  have  noticed,  lived  a  considerable 
distance  from  Millheim.  During  the  second  great  revival  on  the 
Northumberland  Circuit,  which  occurred  in  181 1,  there  were 
many  conversions,  and  separate  classes  were  formed  at  Woodward 
(seven  miles  east),  at  Mussers  and  at  Potters  Plains.  The  class 
at  Mussers  became  quite  strong,  and  a  church  was  built  there, 
about  four  miles  from  Millheim,  which  was  the  first  in  Penns 
Valley.  In  that  church  was  held,  in  1839,  the  General  Confer- 
ence at  which  John  Seybert  was  elected  the  first  bishop  of  the 
church. 

Green  Grove.  Several  miles  west  of  Millheim,  at  Green 
Grove,  lived  Michael  Ream,  who  was  one  of  the  first  in  Penns 
Valley  to  open  his  house  to  Albright.  In  1806  his  brother-in- 
law,  David  Merk,  and  also  Henry  Smith  opened  their  houses. 
At  a  later  period  a  flourishing  society  was  formed  there.  Father 
Ream  died  in  1813.    Many  of  his  descendants  became  prominent 


86  EVANQELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


and  useful  members  of  the  church.  His  son,  Rev.  Abraham 
Ream,  in  the  early  part  of  the  century  removed  to  Ohio,  where 
he  was  largely  instrumental  in  establishing  the  work.  Another 
descendant.  Rev.  A.  E.  Gobble,  D.D.,  has  for  many  years  stood 
in  the  front  rank  as  an  able  preacher  and  the  honored  president 
of  Central  Pennsylvania  College. 

Potters  Plains.  The  work  of  our  Church  was  not  estab- 
lished in  the  upper  end  of  Penns  Valley  in  Albright's  time,  as 
it  cannot  be  ascertained  that  he  and  his  colleagues  had  any 
appointment  farther  west  than  Spring  Mills.  In  1811  John  Erb 
and  L.  Zimmerman  extended  the  work  westward  to  Spring  Creek 
and  the  broad  plain  where  the  State  College  is  now  situated. 
There  were  many  conversions  in  this  vicinity,  and  a  good  class 
was  organized,  called  the  Spring  Creek  Class.  Ten  or  more 
congregations  are  the  direct  results  of  the  work  in  this  section. 
The  men  who  received  our  preachers  and  opened  their  houses  as 
regular  preaching  places  were  Conrad  Dillman,  John  Dauber- 
man  and  later  John  George  Rishel,  all  of  whom  became  known 
throughout  the  entire  Church,  and  deserve  more  than  mere 
mention. 

John  Dauber.man,  Sr.,  lived  a  few  miles  east  of  Old  Fort, 
near  Egg  Hill.  Here  he  built  with  his  own  means  a  church  for 
the  use  of  the  society,  which  was  dedicated  Oct.  22,  1837.  He 
died  in  1853,  in  his  eighty-second  year.  His  son,  John,  Jr., 
who  was  also  one  of  the  first  members,  worthily  represented  his 
heroic  father  until  his  death. 

Conrad  Dillman  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he  was  among  the 
first  to  receive  our  first  preachers  in  1816,  in  which  connection 
a  further  notice  of  him  will  be  found. 

John  George  Rishel  lived  nearly  four  miles  southwest  of 
Old  Fort,  near  Spring  Creek.  He  was  converted  in  1806,  but 
did  not  unite  with  the  society  until  1826.  He  was  an  influential 
and  prominent  man,  and  did  much  for  the  establishment  of  the 
Church.  He  died  in  1852,  in  his  seventy-first  year.  Three  of  his 
daughters  were  married  to  Evangelical  ministers  of  prominence  : 
Susan,  to  Bishop  W.W.  Orwig  ;  Sarah,  to  John  Kreamer,  and 
Rachel,  to  Daniel  Kehr.  His  son  David  entered  the  minis- 
try of  the  West  Pa.  Conference  in  1842,  and  was  a  young  man 
of  bright  promise.  In  1847  he  was  sent  as  missionary  to  Pitts- 
burg, where  his  usefulness  was  suddenly  cut  short  by  death  in  the 
Autumn  of  the  same  year,  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  his  age. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


87 


Brush  Valley.  North  of  Penns  Valley  is  situated  a  long, 
narrow  valley  called  Brush  Valley,  one  of  the  early  settlers  of 
which  was  Christopher  Spangler,  who  came  here  from  one  of 
the  lower  countries  in  1803.  He  was  a  man  of  means,  and  erected 
in  1805  a  large  stone  mansion,  which  is  to-day  one  of  the  land- 
marks of  the  Church.  At  the  house  of  father  Bachman,  in  Penns 
Valley,  Brother  S.  first  heard  Albright  preach,  and  invited  him 
to  preach  also  in  his  house  in  Brush  Valley.  To  this  invitation 
Albright  responded  in  the  Autumn  of  1805,  and  from  that  time 
Brother  Spangler  became  one  of  his  chief  supporters  and  his 
house  a  regular  preaching  place. 

During  the  great  revival,  under  the  labors  of  George  Miller, 
in  1806,  many  conversions  took  place  here,  and  a  class  was 
formed,  of  which  Brother  Spangler  was  made  leader.  In  the 
Fall  of  1807  he  and  the  youthful  John  Dreisbach  journeyed  to- 
gether to  attend  the  first  annual  conference  of  the  Association, 
at  which  time  Brother  S.  was  also  made  a  local  preacher.  He 
never  entered  the  active  ranks,  but  frequently  accompanied  the 
first  preachers,  and  preached  a  great  deal.  His  name  through- 
out the  Church  was  "as  ointment  poured  forth."  When  past 
eighty  years  of  age  he  preached  a  remarkable  sermon  from  the 
text,  "As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death 
of  the  wicked."  (Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.)  He  died  in  great  peace  in 
1855,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  His  companioa  died  in  1832, 
aged  sixty-one  years.  They  rest  in  the  union  cemetery  at  Rebers- 
burg.  Their  sons  Jacob,  Samuel  and  Jonathan  were  of  the  first 
converts  in  the  valley  and  became  strong  pillars  in  the  Church. 
A  daughter,  Anna  Mary,  also  converted  in  1806,  married  Con- 
rad Hare.  They  removed  to  Wyandotte  county,  Ohio,  where 
they  opened  their  house  as  one  of  the  first  preaching  places. 
Brother  H.  was  a  local  preacher  and  a  very  useful  man. 

Abraham  Reber  and  wife  were  converted  at  Spangler's  in 
1806,  after  which  they  opened  their  house  as  a  preaching  place. 
Rev.  J.  G.  Conser,  one  of  the  first  members  at  Lewisburg,  re- 
moved to  Rebersburg,  and  in  1823  opened  his  house  as  a  preach- 
ing place.  A  little  later  the  brothers  George,  Joseph  and  Jacob 
Gramlv,  who  were  of  the  leading  citizens  of  the  valley,  became 
members,  as  did  also  the  Becks,  Leidlers  and  Myers.  A 
church  was  built  in  Rebersburg  in  1833.  The  valley  became  an 
Evangelical  stronghold,  and  the  work  has  continued  to  flourish  to 
this  day. 


88 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


North  Branch  Valley.  On  the  North  Branch  of  the  Sus- 
quehanna River,  Albright  a»d  his  associates  found  some  open 
doors.  We  have  already  noted  in  a  previous  chapter  the  emi- 
gration of  the  sons-in-law  of  Leonard  Zimmerman,  of  Schuylkill 
county,  to  this  region.  As  they  were  the  first  to  open  their 
houses  to  our  preachers  we  will  notice  them  in  order :  John 
Detrich  Seybert  and  his  brother  Michael,  and  John  George 
Zehner,  married  to  Maria,  Eve,  and  Catharine  Zimmerman, 
respectively,  emigrated  to  the  North  Branch  Valley  near  the  be- 
ginning of  the  century.  The  Sevberts  settled  in  Salem  township, 
Luzerne  county,  a  few  miles  above  Berwick,  and  Zehner  settled 
a  few  miles  south,  in  Briar  Creek  township,  Columbia  county. 

About  1806  two  more  sons-in-law  of  Zehner  removed  to  this 
region.  They  were  Jacob  Bochard  and  Conrad  Biebelheimer, 
who  were  married  to  Albertina  and  Susan  Zimmerman,  respec- 
tively. Bochard  settled  about  two  miles  northeast  of  Danville, 
now  in  Montour  county.  Biebelheimer  settled  near  Orange- 
ville,  Columbia  county,  but  removed  to  Ohio  at  an  early  day. 

All  the  foregoing  were,  so  far  as  is  known,  converted  under 
the  ministry  of  Albright  and  co-laborers,  and,  with  the  exception 
of  John  D.  Seybert,  they  were  members  of  the  church.  When 
they  removed  to  the  North  Branch  Valley  they  were  followed  by 
their  spiritual  father  and  his  colleagues,  and  through  them  a  good 
foundation  was  laid  for  the  work  in  the  valley. 

The  first  revival  and  ingathering  of  note  was  at  Zehner's,  at 
Summer  Hill,  Columbia  county,  and  at  Bochard's,  near  Dan- 
ville, in  181 1  and  181 2,  at  which  time  classes  were  formed  at 
both  places. 

Notes. — Jacob  Bochard  died  in  1824  and  his  wife  in  i860.  Biebel- 
HEIMERS  removed  to  Franklin  county,  Ohio,  where  Sister  B.  died  in  1830, 
aged  sixty-five  years,  and  her  husband  soon  afterwards.  George  Zehner  and 
his  wife  died  at  Briar  Creek  in  1848,  aged  respectively  eighty-three  and  eighty 
years.  Revs.  George  E.  Zehner  and  Isaiah  Bower,  of  the  Central  Pa. 
Conference,  are  grandsons.  Michael  Seybert  died  in  1852,  aged  eighty-five 
years.  His  wife  Eve  died  in  1854,  aged  eighty-four  years.  They  all  repose 
in  the  Summer  Hill  cemetery. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


SOWING  AND  REAPING. 

The  Great  Revival  at  Orwigsburg — Spread  of  the  Work 
IN  Lehigh  County,  Philadelphia,  Reading,  Lebanon, 
Baltimore — The  Blockhouse — John  Seybert's  Mission- 
ary Work — Establishment  of  the  Church  in  New  York 
State  and  Canada. 

Klllggold.  Near  Ringgold,  in  Schuylkill  county,  lived  Dan- 
iel Focht,  who  was  a  man  of  high  respectability,  and  possessed 
of  considerable  means ;  being  proprietor  of  what  was  then  called 
Brunswick  Forge.  In  1818,  when  M.  Dehoff  and  Adam  Kline- 
felter served  the  Schuylkill  Circuit,  he  became  interested  through 
them  in  his  own  salvation,  and  was  soon  thereafter  converted  to 
God.  He  at  once  exerted  his  talents  and  great  influence  for  the 
cause  of  Christ,  and  was  soon  the  instrument  in  the  hands  of  God 
in  the  conversion  of  others  who  were  organized  into  a  class.  He 
was  a  fluent  speaker,  was  greatly  respected,  and  his  influence  in 
favor  of  the  Evangelical  Association  was  very  considerable.  In 
1 82 1  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  most  faithfully  did  he  serve 
the  Church  in  a  local  capacity  until  his  death,  in  1844,  at  the  age 
of  sixty  years. 

Orwigsburg.  Through  Focht  the  first  seed  of  the  Church 
was  sown  in  Orwigsburg,  (then  the  county  seat  of  Schuylkill 
county),  which  culminated  in  one  of  the  most  extensive  and  im- 
portant revivals  that  ever  took  place  in  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion. In  1822  he  preached  a  powerful  sermon  in  the  Court  House, 
which  made  a  profound  impression  on  the  audience.  The  same 
year  there  was  held  on  his  land  one  of  the  most  remarkable  camp- 
meetings  in  the  history  of  the  Church.  A  great  number  of  people 


90 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


were  gathered  on  the  grounds.  Most  of  whom  were  in  a  state  of 
spiritual  darkness,  and  very  much  disposed  to  make  mischief. 
This  opposition  one  day  took  a  most  serious  turn.  Some  of  the 
brethren  were  assaulted  by  the  ruffians,  and  suffered  bodily  in- 
jury at  their  hands.  While  John  Miller  was  preaching  an  attack 
was  made  upon  the  preachers  and  he  was  struck  on  the  face  with 
a  sharp  stone  and  very  severely  injured. 

At  this  meeting  there  were,  however,  many  intelligent  and 
sensible  people  who  disapproved  of  the  persecution  of  God's  peo- 
ple, and  heard  with  deep  concern — and  many  for  the  first  time 
in  their  lives — the  doctrine  of  experimental  religion.  Much  pre- 
cious seed  was  sown,  some  of  which  came  to  early  fruitage.  The 
camp-meeting  thus  became  an  important  factor  in  the  promotion 
of  the  great  revival  which  soon  followed. 

Richard  Rickert.  Soon  after  this  camp-meeting  a  prom- 
inent man  of  Orwigsburg,  named  Richard  Rickert,  had  occasion 
to  call  on  FocHT  on  business.  Mrs.  F,  informed  him  that  her 
husband  was  not  at  home,  but  would  return  soon,  and  added  that 
their  nvinister,  John  Breitenstein,  was  in  the  house,  with  whom' 
he  could  converse  until  the  return  of  Mr.  Focht.  Mr.  Rickert 
complied  with  the  kind  invitation,  and  was  very  much  pleased 
with  Mr.  Breitenstein,  and  invited  him  to  preach  at  Orwigs- 
burg, to  which  Mr.  B.  assented.  Mr.  Rickert  arranged  an  ap- 
pointment for  him  in  the  Court  House,  and  there  Mr.  B.  preached 
a  number  of  times.  The  enemies  of  the  cause,  however,  were 
not  idle,  and  soon  fomented  such  an  opposition  against  him,  that 
the  Court  House  was  closed,  and  he  was  compelled  to  preach  in 
the  schoolhouse  and  in  private  houses. 

Among  the  men  who  received  Mr.  B.  and  opened  their  houses 
as  preaching  places  for  him  were  Richard  Rickert,  who  first 
invited  him  to  Orwigsburg,  Jos.  Zoll,  Peter  Ashbach,  Daniel 
Reifschneider,  and  a  little  later,  John  Hammer.  All  were  men 
of  prominence  and  high  respectability.  The  spirit  of  awakening 
was  powerfully  at  work  throughout  the  town,  and  the  grain  was 
ripe  for  the  harvest. 

John  Seybert  at  Orwigsburg.  In  June,  1823,  John  Sev- 
bert  was  appointed  to  Schuylkill  Circuit.  It  was  indeed  a  fort- 
unate circumstance  that  this  consecrated  a-id  tireless  worker 
became  the  preacher  at  Orwigsburg  at  this  time.  His  blameless 
life  was  the  best  commentary  on  the  doctrines  which  he  preached, 
while  his  extraordinary  zeal  for  souls  was  a  living  torch  that  set 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


91 


on  fire  the  hearts  of  the  people  with  love  and  devotion  to  the 
cause  of  Christ.  Although  the  people  generally  heard  Sevbert 
with  gladness,  and  many  doors  were  opened  to  him,  still  the  work 
of  conversion  and  ingathering  did  not  immediately  take  place. 
An  adverse  circumstance,  which  proved  to  be  a  blessing  in  dis- 
guise, was  the  means  of  bringing  about  the  desired  result.  On 
Sept.  14  Seybert  went  to  fill  an  appointment  at  a  schoolhouse 
three  miles  east  of  Orwigsburg,  which  his  enemies  locked  against 
him.  A  poor  colored  man  named  Wilson  invited  him  to  come 
into  his  house  and  preach.  Sevbert  accepted  the  invitation,  and 
was  followed  to  the  house  by  a  number  who  were  anxious  to  hear 
him.  On  this  occasion  he  preached  from  the  words,  '*He  came 
unto  his  own  and  his  own  received  him  not."  (John  i.  11.)  A 
profound  impression  was  made,  and  Wilson  and  his  wife  were 
soon  afterwards  converted  to  God.  The  house  of  this  colored 
man  played  an  important  part  in  subsequent  events. 

Seybert  found  entrance  at  the  house  of  a  tavern-keeper  named 
Christopher  Wagoner  in  the  same  vicinity,  several  of  whose 
children  were  then  under  conviction.  On  Nov.  30  Seybert 
preached  in  the  house  of  Wagoner,  from  Acts  iii.  22,  23.  This 
was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  meetings  known  in  the  history  of 
the  Church.  The  spirit  of  conviction  wrought  deeply.  A  great 
cry  arose  from  penitents  who  were  scattered  through  the  house  in 
large  numbers.  ''Lost!  Lost.'  L  am  lost!"  could  be  heard  on 
every  side.  Wagoner  and  all  of  his  family  who  were  present 
were  among  the  penitents.  While  the  cry  of  agony  went  up  to 
God  a  female  relative  of  Wagoner,  who  had  no  sympathy  for  the 
work,  went  among  the  weeping  penitents  and  endeavored  to  dis- 
courage them.  Notwithstanding  this  mighty  demonstration  of 
the  Spirit  to  convict,  it  would  seem  that  there  were  but  few  con- 
versions at  this  time.  The  next  day  Seybert  held  a  prayer- 
meeting  for  the  benefit  of  the  penitents,  but  still  there  was  no 
victory.  Harbingers  of  a  brighter  day  were  everywhere  visible, 
however.  The  number  of  those  under  conviction  increased  every 
day,  and  Seybert,  having  to  fill  his  appointments  elsewhere,  wrote 
to  FocHT  to  take  charge  during  his  absence,  who  accordingly 
preached  the  following  Sunday  at  the  house  of  Wilson.  The 
meetings  in  the  afternoon  and  evening  were  remarkably  powerful 
and  victorious,  and  seven  souls  were  saved,  which  was  but  the 
beginning  of  the  gracious  shower  of  blessings,  the  refreshing  in- 
fluences of  which  was  felt  in  every  part  of  the  Church. 


92  E  VANGELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANNALS. 


Seybert's  Testimony.  On  the  fly  leaf  of  a  volume  of 
"Thomas  A'Kempis,"  bought  from  Bishop  Seybert  by  Father 
Richard  Rickert,  in  1850,  occur  these  lines  in  the  bishop's  own 
handwriting:  "Erster  Bekehrungs-Durchbruch  nahe  bet  Orwigs- 
burgh  an  des  Wilson's,  Dezember  7,  182J,  wo  sieben  Seelen  zu  Gott 
bekehrt  wurden," — which  translated  somewhat  literally  reads: 
"First  converting  breakthrough  nearby  Orwigsburg,  at  Wilson's, 
December  7,  1823,  when  seven  souls  were  converted  to  God." 
It  may  here  be  incidentally  remarked  that  "  Durchbruch,"  liter- 
ally a  breakthrough,  was  a  favorite  term  used  in  the  early  days 
to  express  the  victory  after  penitential  struggles.  The  names  of 
the  seven  souls  referred  to  by  Bishop  Seybert  were  the  follow- 
ing, as  given  to  me  by  Father  and  Mother  George  and  Amelia 
(Hammer)  Rickert,  of  Pottsville,  Pa.:  MaryNeff;  Hannah 
Wagoner,  afterwards  married  to  Rev.  Charles  Hesser  ;  Re- 
becca Wagoner,  afterwards  married  to  Rev.  Francis  Hoffman  ; 
Benjamin  Wagoner,  Sally  Wagoner,  Mother  Fisher,  Polly 
Fisher.  The  Wagoners  mentioned  were  children  of  Christopher 
Wagoner.  After  the  victory  at  Wilson's,  conversions  became 
frequent.  When  Seybert  preached  again  in  that  neighborhood 
—  which  was  at  Philip  Dreher's  —  a  young  man  was  present 
who  had  for  some  time  been  under  conviction.  A  young  lady, 
*  Rebecca  Wagoner,  who  had  often  entreated  him  before,  now 
again  urged  him  to  yield  his  heart  to  God.  He  accordingly 
bowed  in  penitence  and  was  happily  converted.  This  was  the  now 
sainted  Rev.  Joseph  M.  Saylor.  Soon  afterwards  his  brother 
Jacob,  and  also  Samuel  Rickert,  were  converted.  A  little  later 
Charles  Hesser  was  converted  at  Father  Wagoner's.  All  of 
whom  became  ministers. 

On  Jan.  23,  1824,  the  first  class  was  organized,  consisting  of 
about  twenty-five  members.  Philip  Dreher  was  made  leader 
and  B.  Neff  exhorter.  Great  opposition  to  the  work  prevailed, 
and  the  leader  became  utterly  discouraged.  A  reorganization  of 
the  class  was  effected  Feb.  19,  and  Joseph  M.  Saylor  became 
leader.  The  work  now  made  rapid  progress,  and  people  of  all 
classes  were  converted  almost  daily. 

The  Hammer  Family  Converted.  A  remarkable  episode 
of  this  revival  was  the  conversion  of  the  Hammer  family.  The 
circumstances  are  as  follows :  John  Hammer  was  a  highly  re- 


*  Afterwards  Mrs.  Rev.  F.  Hoffman. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


08 


«pected  citizen  and  merchant  of  Orwigsburg  and  an  elder  in  the 
Lutheran  Church.  He  had  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daughters, 
all  highly  respectable  save  the  oldest  son  John,  who  was  given 
to  wayward  habits,  which  caused  his  parents  deep  sorrow  and 
constant  solicitude.  The  anxious  mother  could  think  of  no  bet- 
ter way  to  stay  his  downward  course  than  to  bring  him  under  the 
influence  of  that  man  of  God,  John  Seybert.  There  was  an  ap- 
pointment for  him  at  the  house  of  Rickert  one  night,  and  Mother 
Hammer  said  to  the  erring  son,  "John,  how  would  it  be  if  you 
■were  to  go  to  the  'Strawveler'  meeting  to-night?  I  would  much 
rather  see  you  there  than  with  your  bad  company  at  the  tavern." 
He  followed  the  suggestion,  went  to  the  service,  and  was  deeply 
convicted  of  his  sinful  condition.  The  next  Sunday  there  was  a 
prayer-meeting  at  the  house  of  the  colored  man  Wilson,  and  here 
young  Hammer  was  converted  after  a  very  severe  penitential 
struggle.*  The  change  in  his  life  and  conduct  was  at  once  no- 
ticed at  home,  but  he  said  nothing  about  his  experiences,  because 
his  parents  were  strict  members  of  one  of  the  old  churches,  al- 
though, like  many  others,  they  knew  nothing  of  vital  godliness. 
The  course  he  took,  however,  met  with  God's  approval,  as  the 
end  will  show. 

In  the  rear  of  Father  Hammer's  store  was  a  warehouse,  and 
the  watchful  mother  noticed  that  her  son  frequently  repaired 
thither  alone  and  without  any  apparent  reason.  She  determined 
to  solve  the  mystery,  and  one  day  cautiously  followed  him.  To 
her  surprise  she  found  him  prostrate  on  the  bare  floor,  pouring 
out  his  soul  to  God  in  prayer.  Such  a  prayer  the  surprised 
mother  had  never  heard  before.  The  son  entreated  as  though 
his  heart  would  break  in  behalf  of  his  dear  father  and  mother 
that  they  might  come  to  the  true  light  and  saving  grace  of  God. 
The  mother  was  almost  overcome  by  her  feelings,  and  with  diffi- 
culty restrained  herself  from  disturbing  with  her  weeping  her  once 
wayward  son.  "Is  it  possible  that  our  poor  John,  whom  we 
thought  as  good  as  lost,  should  now  pray  in  this  manner  for  us 
who  profess  to  be  good?"  thus  she  said  in  her  heart.  In  deep 
penitence  she  returned  and  told  the  circumstances  to  her  hus- 
band.   The  outcome  of  it  all  was  that  the  whole  family — father, 

*J.  M,  Savlor,  who  was  present  at  the  meeting,  says  it  was  a  remarkably- 
bright  conversion.  With  tears  of  joy  streaming  from  his  eyes  young  Hammer 
went  through  the  assembly  shaking  hands  with  the  people,  saying,  "Now  I  am 
also  a  brother  !  " 


94  E  VANQELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANNALS. 


mother,  sons  and  daughters,  eleven  in  number,  were  soon  there- 
after converted  to  God  and  united  with  the  society.  The  Church 
has  never  embraced  within  her  fold  a  more  godly  and  useful  fam- 
ily than  that  of  Father  Hammer.  Three  of  his  daughters  were 
married  to  Evangelical  preachers,  all  of  whom  became  promi- 
nent. Elizabeth  was  married  to  Rev.  J.  P.  Leib  ;  Sarah  to 
Rev.  Charles  Schnerr,  and  Susan  to  Rev.  Solomon  Neitz. 
One  son,  Charles,  became  a  minister,  and  one  of  the  pillars  of 
the  Evangelical  Association. 

The  Saylor  Family  Converted.  Another  incident  worthy 
of  record  is  the  case  of  the  widow  Savlor,  whose  sons  Joseph 
and  Jacob  have  already  been  referred  to.  This  woman,  with  a 
large  family  of  children,  some  of  whom  were  quite  young,  lived 
with  her  father,  who  was  bitterly  opposed  to  the  work.  After 
she  and  her  children  were  converted,  they  erected  a  family  altar, 
against  which  the  father  demurred.  The  godly  mother,  however, 
gathered  her  loving  children  around  her  as  aforetime  and  offered 
her  petitions  at  the  throne  of  grace.  The  cruel  father  finally  de- 
clared that  if  they  did  not  cease  going  to  the  "  Strawveler  "  meet- 
ings and  quit  their  family  prayers  they  would  be  compelled  to 
leave  his  house.  This  was  a  trying  ordeal  for  the  poor  widow. 
A  family  council  was  held  and  she,  with  the  devoted  children, 
decided  to  remain  faithful  to  their  God  and  the  Church.  She 
accordingly  left  the  parental  roof,  accompanied  by  her  little  ones, 
and  made  her  home  in  a  little  house  near  the  canal,  where  for 
several  years  she  supported  herself  by  selling  refreshments  to  the 
boatmen  who  daily  passed  her  door.  The  Lord  was  her  support 
and  she  never  came  to  want,  but  lived  to  see  two  of  her  sons  be- 
come useful  preachers.  She  enjoyed  the  sympathy  of  the  public 
because  of  the  harsh  treatment  of  her  father,  while  her  blameless 
life  won  the  esteem  of  all,  and  when  at  last  the  Lord  granted  her 
a  triumphant  death,  she  was  deeply  lamented  by  a  very  wide  circle 
of  friends. 

Opposition.  As  may  be  inferred,  the  work  was  most  bitterly 
opposed  by  a  certain  class  of  people,  and  many  cases  of  violence 
occurred.  As  an  example  we  give  the  case  of  a  meeting  which 
was  held  by  Joseph  Savlor  at  the  house  of  a  man  named  Jona- 
than WvNN.  At  this  meeting  there  were  a  number  of  penitents, 
among  them  a  young  woman  named  Phcebe  Huntzinger,  who 
was  very  popular  in  the  society  of  the  town.  Her  friends  and 
admirers  determined  to  rescue  her  from  the  influence  of  the 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


95 


"Albrights,"  and  accordingly  a  rush  was  made  into  the  house 
where  the  meeting  was  in  progress.  In  the  struggle  which  ensued 
the  would-be  friends  of  the  young  lady,  finding  it  impossible  to 
get  her  out  through  the  door  which  was  blocked  up,  opened  a 
window  near  her,  through  which  the  pleading  penitent  was  drawn 
out  of  the  house.  This  triumph  of  the  rabble,  however,  was  short 
lived,  as  the  young  lady  was  sincere,  and  soon  thereafter  was 
happily  converted,  and  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  Joseph 
Hammer,  a  prominent  man  in  the  society. 

The  revival  continued  for  a  number  of  years.  Scores  of  fam- 
ilies, among  them  many  of  the  leading  people  of  the  place,  were 
converted,  and  good  seed  was  scattered,  which  brought  forth  a 
golden  harvest.  Many  instances  might  be  given  of  families  who 
removed  from  here  to  Ohio,  Illinois,  and  other  States,  and  there 
became  centers  of  Evangelical  influence,  through  which  new  con- 
gregations were  organized  and  churches  built.  Among  the  fruits 
of  this  great  ingathering  were  a  large  number  whom  the  Lord 
called  into  the  gospel  ministry.  Among  them  may  be  mentioned 
the  brothers  Joseph  M.  and  Jacob  Savlor,  John  P.  Leib,  Fran- 
cis Hoffman,  Daniel  Berger,  Charles  Hesser,  Charles 
Hammer  and  Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig  (indirectly)  of  the  active 
ministry,  besides  many  who  served  in  a  local  capacity. 

Evangelical  Church  and  Cemetery,  Soon  after  the 
establishment  of  the  work  at  Orwigsburg,  Benjamin  Wagoner,  a 
son  of  Christopher  Wagoner,  died.  He  was  a  devoted  and 
zealous  young  man,  and  because  he  became  an  Evangelical,  his 

Biographical  Notes. — i.  John  Hammer  died  in  1839,  aged  sixty-six 
years.  He  was  for  many  years  a  local  preacher.  His  wife  Elizabeth  died  in 
1837,  aged  sixty  years. 

2.  Christopher  Wagoner  died  in  1843,  aged  seventy-five  years.  He  was 
a  strong  pillar  in  the  Church.  His  daughters  Rebecca  and  Hannah  were  mar- 
ried to  Rev.  Francis  Hoffman  and  Rev.  Charles  Hesser,  respectively.  His 
daughter  Elizabeth  was  married  to  Abraham  Orwig  ;  they  were  the  parents 
of  Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig. 

3.  Richard  Rickert,  (wife  Christina)  who  first  invited  the  Evangelical 
preachers  to  Orwigsburg,  died  in  1857,  aged  eighty-three  years.  They  were  the 
parents  of  Rev.  Samuel  Rickert,  and  Dinah,  wife  of  Rev.  Joseph  M.  Savlor. 

4.  Joseph  Zoll  died  in  1877,  aged  eighty-eight  years.  He  was  a  tanner  by 
occupation,  and  had  in  his  employ  his  nephew,  Francis  Hoffman,  who  was 
also  converted  and  entered  the  active  ministry  in  1826. 

5.  Daniel  Riefsnyder  removed  to  Stark  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  for 
many  years  a  class-leader,  and  his  house  a  preaching  place.  He  died  in  1872, 
aged  seventy-two  years. 


96  E  VAmELIGAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANNALS. 


burial  in  the  graveyard  of  the  Church  of  which  he  had  been  a 
former  member  was  forbidden.  In  great  sorrow  Father  Wag- 
oner came  to  Orwigsburg  to  consult  with  Father  Hammer.  After 
explaining  the  circumstances  to  Hammer,  the  latter  said,  "Come 
with  me,"  and  together  they  went  to  look  at  some  vacant  lots 
owned  by  Hammer.  A  suitable  selection  was  made  for  a  bury- 
ing ground,  which  Father  Hammer  donated  to  the  society,  and 
here  the  body  of  young  Wagoner  was  laid  to  rest.  The  society 
then  erected  a  church  edifice  on  the  ground  in  1826,  which  was 
the  ikird  church  of  the  Association.  The  following  year  the  con- 
ference was  held  in  it,  and  many  times  thereafter.  In  1823  the 
first  camp-meeting  in  this  section  was  held  on  the  land  of  Chris- 
topher Wagoner,  and  thereafter  for  several  years. 

Tlie  Work  in  Lehigh  County.  Soon  after  Albright's 
entry  into  the  ministry  he  attended  the  funeral  of  a  child  in  Upper 
Hanover  township,  Montgomery  county.  The  parents  of  the 
child,  and  also  the  minister  and  most  of  the  attendants,  were 
Schwenkfelders.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  services  Albright 
asked  permission  to  preach  in  the  church,  which  was  granted. 
Several  appointments  were  filled,  and  light  was  beginning  to 
dawn,  when  a  great  storm  of  opposition  was  raised,  and  the 
churches  were  closed  against  him  in  consequence.  A  Schwenk- 
felder  named  David  Shultz,  who  lived  near  the  mountain,  then 
opened  his  house  as  a  preaching  place  for  him.  This  was  near 
the  Lehigh  county  line.  Although  the  work  was  not  permanently 
established  at  this  time,  yet  the  good  seed  was  sown,  which  in 
course  of  time  bore  a  rich  fruitage.  The  direct  results  were  the 
establishment  of  the  work  in  Lehigh  county,  first  in  Upper  Mil- 
ford,  from  thence  to  Cedar  Creek,  Allentown,  Emaus,  and  other 
places. 

In  Upper  Milford,  in  the  very  midst  of  the  Schwenkfelder 
community,  lived  a  good,  upright  man  named  John  HiTTEL,who 
received  the  Evangelical  preachers  as  early  as  1825.  Althotgh 
he  was  in  sympathy  with  the  society,  no  public  service  was 
attempted  at  his  house  for  some  years.  At  the  house  of  Hittel 
a  number  of  people  became  acquainted  with  the  Evangelical 
preachers,  among  whom  were  David  and  Christophel  Shubert 
and  Melchior  Yeakel,  who  were  prominent  Schwenkfelders. 
Ykakei-  had  already  been  enlightened,  in  a  great  measure,  by  the 
preaching  of  Albright  at  the  house  of  Shultz  and  elsewhere. 
Public  services  were  held  at  Hittel's  in  1828,  without  any 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


VT 


notable  results,  until  Sept.  13,  1829.  W.  W.  Orwig  and  Charles 
Hammer  held  a  service  on  the  barn  floor  of  David  Shubert, 
which  was  richly  blessed  and  may  be  considered  the  real  begin- 
ning of  the  great  work  which  followed.  Many  prominent  Schwenk- 
felders  became  identified  with  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  in  a  few 
years  this  section  became  an  Evangelical  stronghold.  John 
HiTTEL,  in  1828,  having  removed  to  a  place  near  Macungie,  an 
appointment  was  also  established  at  his  house.  Mention  should 
also  be  made  of  Peter  Wiest,  Daniel  Wieand  and  George 
Yeakel,  who  lived  near  Shubert's,  and  who  also  received  the 
Evangelical  preachers  and  opened  their  houses  for  services. 
Among  the  accessions  to  the  Church  was  Rev.  Andrew  Yeakel, 
a  Schwenkfelder  preacher,  and  with  him  a  great  number  of  his 
people. 

Allentowil  atld  Vicinity.  The  waters  of  Cedar  Creek 
take  their  rise  in  a  large  spring  at  the  head  of  Cedar  Creek 
Valley,  in  Lehigh  county.  Pa.,  and  empty  into  the  Lehigh  River 
near  Allentown.  In  the  early  part  of  the  century  there  lived  near 
the  head  of  this  stream,  a  highly  respectable  man  named  Henry 
Mertz.  He  was  a  man  of  intelligence  and  influence,  and  a 
deacon  in  the  Lutheran  Church.  He  had  distinguished  himself 
as  a  member  of  the  State  Legislature,  but  was  most  commonly 
known  as  General  Mertz,  because  he  held  that  rank  in  the  State 
military  service. 

Near  his  mansion  lived  his  son  David,  who  was  proprietor  of 
a  woolen  mill.  Although  the  General  and  his  family  were  mem- 
bers of  the  church,  they  were  ignorant  of  the  saving  power  of 
grace.  In  1831  a  young  man  named  Francis  Gabel,  from 
Upper  Milford,  Lehigh  county,  a  member  of  the  Evangelical 
Association,  applied  to  David  Mertz  for  employment.  He  was 
engaged  at  once  and  entered  upon  his  work.  He  was  pious  and 
exemplary  in  his  conduct,  and  soon  commanded  the  confidence 

Note. — The  Schwenkfelders  were  the  followers  of  Casper  Schwenkfeld, 
who  was  born  in  Lower  Silesia,  in  1490.  In  April,  1734,  a  large  number  of  his 
society  emigrated  to  Pennsylvania  in  the  ship  "St.  Andrew,"  which  arrived  in 
Philadelphia  Sept.  22,  having  on  board  261  souls,  among  whom  were  the 
Yeakels,  (Baltzer,  George,  Abraham,  Baltzer,  Jr.,  Casper,  Jeremias 
and  Henry),  also  the  Kreibels,  Hoffmans,  Shuberts,  Reinwalds,  Weig- 
ners,  Huebners,  Mentzels,  Meisthers  and  Auders.  They  had  been  pre- 
ceded in  1733  by  a  small  party,  among  whom  were  the  Klemms  and  Shultzs. 
Rev.  Andrew  Yeakel,  who  with  many  of  his  people  united  with  the  Evangei- 
cal  Association,  died  in  1837,  in  his  fifty-first  year. 


98 


BVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


of  his  employer.  His  heart  went  out  in  love  for  spiritual  welfare 
of  Mertz  and  his  wife,  and  he  daily  talked  with  them  about  their 
salvation,  and  the  certainty  and  blessedness  of  the  hidden  life  in 
Christ.  In  this  way  their  hearts  were  opened  to  the  spirit  of 
conviction.  They  were  as  yet  unacquainted  with  the  Church 
and  had  never  heard  any  of  the  Evangelical  ministers  preach. 

Late  in  the  Fall  of  this  year,  Gabel  gained  their  consent  to 
make  an  appointment  at  their  house  for  Rev.  J.  G.  Zinser,  who 
that  year  served  Lebanon  Circuit.  Zinser  accordingly  preached, 
and  had  as  his  audience  General  Mertz,  David  Mertz  and  his 
wife  Catharine,  F.  Gabel,  and  John  Hittel,  who  had  brought 
the  preacher  from  his  home  on  the  Lehigh  Mountain,  seven  miles 
distant,  where  he  had  preached  the  evening  before.  Soon  after 
this  meeting  David  Mertz  and  wife  became  the  subjects  of  sav- 
ing grace.  March  13,  1832,  J.  P.  Leib,  the  colleague  of  Zinser, 
preached,  and  thereafter  the  house  was  a  regular  preaching  place. 

Mertz  and  his  wife  and  Gabel  had  at  this  time  their  regular 
prayer-meeting  and  the  two  men  would  in  turn  read  and  expound 
the  Scriptures;  Mrs.  Mertz  constituting  the  audience.  When 
the  zeal  and  devotion  of  this  little  band  is  considered,  is  it  strange 
that  God  has  so  wonderfully  prospered  the  work  in  that  region? 
To  their  number  the  names  of  Susanna  Garber  and  Susanna 
MoHR  were  subsequently  added,  and  this  was  the  Cedar  Creek 
Class  of  1832.    Gabel  was  leader  and  Mertz  exhorter. 

General  Mertz  and  family  were  members  of  the  Saltzberger 
Church,  (Lutheran)  near  Emaus.  Soon  after  the  conversion  of 
David  and  his  wife,  they,  with  Father  Mertz,  attended  the  ser- 
vices on  one  occasion  when  the  pastor,  Benjamin  Garman, 
preached  a  special  sermon  against  the  new  doctrine  of  conversion. 
He  was  a  bitter  opponent  of  the  Evangelical  work,  and  the  trend 
of  his  sermon  was  to  discountenance  the  new  movement,  and 
warn  his  flock  against  the  "false prophets,"  as  our  preachers  were 
then  called.  After  the  conclusion  of  his  services,  he  descended 
the  pulpit  and  assailed  Gen.  Mertz  for  abetting  the  "deceivers," 
by  permitting  them  to  preach  at  the  house  of  his  son.  He  warned 
Mertz  against  giving  further  countenance  to  the  heretics,  and 
that  hereafter  he  must  prohibit  the  meetings  on  his  place.  The 
General,  after  listening  patiently  to  the  angry  and  inconsiderate 
accusations  and  demands  of  his  pastor,  replied  to  him  : 

"You  must  understand  that  I  do  not  hsirhor  deceivers  Siwd 
false  prophets.    These  men  do  what  you  do  not.    They  preach 


TEE  EARLY  DATS. 


99 


the  pure  Gospel,  and  before  you  condemn  them  you  had  better 
come  and  hear  them  for  yourself.  You  allow  all  kinds  of  evil, 
such  as  drinking  and  frolicking,  and  you  never  stood  by  me  in 
remedying  these  evils  in  my  neighborhood.  The  preaching  of 
these  men  is  doing  good.  This  I  see  for  myself.  Here  is  my 
son  David,  he  is  a  new  man.  Then  why  should  I  stop  a  good 
work.    No,  I  will  not  interfere.    //  may  go  on." 

When  the  congregation  saw  that  General  Mertz  had  taken  a 
position  in  favor  of  the  Evangelical  preachers,  great  excitement 
prevailed  in  the  church.  Hot  words  were  exchanged,  and  threats 
of  bodily  harm  were  freely  made,  but  the  General  was  a  man  of 
strong  and  commanding  frame,  and  undoubted  courage,  and  his 
enemies  did  not  venture  to  strike  him.  One  of  the  more  excited 
ones  made  a  move  to  strike  the  General,  but  was  discreetly  pre- 
vented by  the  pastor.  The  Mertz's  were,  however,  unceremoni- 
ously crowded  out  of  the  church.  Outside,  the  disorder  became 
still  greater,  and  it  was  with  difificulty  the  more  considerate  ones 
prevented  violence.  An  old  Revolutionary  soldier,  named  Kamme, 
said  he  had  some  experience  in  disposing  of  evil-doers,  and  would 
like  to  shoot  these  heretics.  This  was  the  last  time  the  Mertz 
family  attended  this  church.  The  violent  and  unchristian  con- 
duct of  the  people  led  Mertz  to  incline  more  strongly  than  ever 
to  the  Evangelical  movement,  and  not  long  thereafter  he  and  his 
companion  realized  the  saving  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  thereafter  their  mansion  was  opened  as  a  preaching  place. 
Soon  thereafter  they  agreed  with  their  preacher  to  have  a  "gen- 
eral meeting "  at  their  house  which  was  attended  by  a  great 
number  of  people,  some  of  whom  had  came  a  distance  of  over 
fifty  miles. 

Opposition  Silenced.  Soon  after  his  appointment  to  this 
circuit,  in  1834,  Joseph  M.  Savlor  had  an  appointment  to  preach 
at  the  house  of  David  Mertz.  A  certain  pastor  named  Dering 
determined  to  break  up  the  work  by  going  with  about  a  dozen  of 
his  chief  members,  (some  of  them  very  much  under  the  influence 
of  liquor,)  directly  to  the  house  of  Mertz,  and  proved  that  Sav- 
lor and  his  co-laborers  were  "false  prophets,"  and  his  followers 
deluded  heretics.  They  made  no  serious  disturbance  during  the 
service,  but  immediately  at  the  close  the  pastor  entered  into  an 
animated  discussion  with  General  Mertz.  The  point  of  argu- 
ment was  the  possibility  of  deliverance  from  sin  in  this  life.  At 
a  certain  stage  of  the  debate  Savlor  asked  permission  to  take 


100 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


the  place  of  General  Mertz,  which  was  granted  by  the  pastor, 
whereupon  Saylor  asked  him  what  was  meant  by  the  pas- 
sage, "The  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  His  Son,  cleanseth  us  from 
all  sin."  (I.  John  i.  7.)  This  perplexed  the  pastor,  and  after 
venturing  an  absurd  explanation,  said  the  greatest  of  all  the 
Apostles — Paul — had  said,  that  of  all  the  great  sinners  in  the 
world,  he  was  the  greatest.  Saylor  charged  him  with  misquota- 
tion, but  he  insisted  on  his  correctness.  Being  called  on  to  pro- 
duce the  passages,  he  failed  completely,  and  turned  to  his  elders 
for  assistance,  which  they  were  unable  to  give.  Saylor  then 
turned  to  the  passage  and  read,  "This  is  a  faithful  saying  and 
worthy  of  all  acceptation  that  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world 
to  save  sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief."  (I.  Tim.  i.  15.)  Saylor 
then  explained  that  Paul  was  a  saved  sinner.  This  made  a  deep 
impression  on  those  who  were  in  a  condition  to  understand  the 
subject.  They  declared  themselves  disgusted  with  their  pastor, 
and  said  he  had  brought  them  all  to  shame. 

Conversion  of  Solomon  Butz.  In  the  Summer  of  1834 
a  highly  respected  and  well-to-do  farmer,  named  Solomon  Butz, 
who  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Mertz's,  was  engaged  with  his  son- 
in-law,  Solomon  Mertz,  at  harvesting  in  a  field  adjoining  the 
factory  of  David  Mertz.  The  day  being  hot  they  repaired  to  a 
shade  tree  close  to  the  factory  to  rest.  Mertz  was  just  then  in 
the  third  story  of  his  factory  near  an  open  window.  Father 
Butz,  who  was  somewhat  blunt  in  speech,  called  up  to  Mertz, 
"  Helloo,  you  '  Stawveler,'  up  there,  come  down,  I  want  to  speak 
to  you."  Mertz  came  down  to  the  party,  when  Butz  continued, 
"  You  proud  '  Strawvelers '  think  you  are  the  only  ones  who  are 
good,"  etc.,  and  in  his  blunt  way  further  sought  to  show  Mertz 
his  folly,  and  the  harm  he  was  doing  in  repudiating  the  faith 
of  his  fathers.  But  Mertz  met  his  accusations  in  a  Christian 
spirit,  and  told  him  plainly  that  unless  he  repented  and  sought 
the  favor  of  God  in  the  pardon  of  his  sins  he  would  be  lost. 
Mertz  referred  him  to  his  (Reformed)  catechism  as  proof  of 
what  he  said.  These  words  touched  the  old  man's  heart,  and  he 
was  brought  to  reflection.  Daily  he  became  more  seriously  con- 
cerned for  his  soul.  He  searched  the  Scriptures  carefully  but 
quietly,  as  also  the  rest  of  his  family.  Sometime  after  the  fore- 
going incident  Mertz  and  his  wife  were  awakened  at  i  o'clock 
at  night  by  Father  Butz,  who  seemed  to  be  in  an  excited  state 
of  mind.    "What  is  the  matter,"  called  Mertz,  "Oh,  nothing 


THE  E ABLY  DAYS. 


101 


serious, "  said  BuTZ,  "  only  the  Lord  Jesus  has  come  to  our  house 
and  five  of  our  family  have  found  Him  already,  and  the  others 
are  seeking."  They  then  went  to  the  house  of  Butz  and  labored 
with  the  seekers  until  daybreak.  The  entire  family  was  converted, 
among  them  little  Edmund,  then  sevea  years  of  age,  and  whom 
the  Lord  called  into  the  ministry  in  later  years,  and  who  has  ever 
stood  in  the  front  rank  of  the  mother  conference.  The  conver- 
sion of  Butz  and  his  family  contributed  in  a  great  measure  to  the 
subsequent  development  of  our  work  in  this  valley. 

In  183s  Mertz  and  his  son  David  determined  to  build  a 
church,  for  which  they  had  to  furnish  the  means  themselves. 
In  the  very  beginning  of  the  undertaking  they  met  with  an  unex- 
pected difficulty ;  the  mechanics  of  the  valley  positively  refusing 
to  touch  the  work  under  any  consideration,  so  they  were  com- 
pelled to  go  to  Upper  Milford,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles,  and 
secure  workmen  from  among  our  people  there.  The  church, 
which  was  a  stone  structure,  was  dedicated  Nov.  14  and  15,  by 
John  Seybert,  presiding  elder  of  the  district  and  Joseph  M. 
Savlor,  preacher  in  charge.  An  immense  concourse  of  people 
were  in  attendance,  so  that  a  double  service  was  conducted, 
Seybert  preaching  in  the  church,  and  Saylor  outside,  standing 
on  a  large  stone.  What  a  contrast  between  this  service  and  that 
of  Zinser  at  David  Mertz's  house  four  years  before  !  There 
were,  however,  still  many  evil  disposed  people  in  the  valley,  who 
shamefully  desecrated  the  new  edifice.  The  fence  was  torn  down, 
the  windows  shattered,  and  the  doors  and  seats  defaced  in  a 
barbarous  manner.  This  did  not  dampen  in  the  least  the  zeal 
of  the  little  Evangelical  band.  The  light  of  God's  Word  had 
already  dawned  upon  many  eyes,  and  a  better  day  was  coming. 
This  was  the  first  church  of  our  denomination  in  Lehigh  county. 
Behold  what  God  hath  wrought  !  There  are  now  upwards  of 
twenty. 

AlleutOWU.  In  1834  J.  M.  Saylor  succeeded  in  gaining 
entrance  in  Allentown,  and  for  some  time  preached  at  the  house 
of  a  colored  man  named  J.  Grove,  whose  landlord,  however,  be- 
ing opposed  to  the  work,  forbade  the  use  of  the  house  for  meet- 
ing purposes. 

On  Oct.  10,  1837,  there  was  an  election  in  Allentown,  and 
General  Mertz,  accompanied  by  his  son  David  and  wife,  and 
Rev.  John  Seybert  and  S.  Altimos,  drove  thither  in  the  family 
carriage — not  to  mingle  in  politics,  but  to  rear  the  standard  of 


102  E  VANG E Lie AL  A8S0GIA  TION  ANNALS. 


the  cross.  After  the  fashion  of  all  colonial  towns,  the  market 
house  stood  in  the  center  of  the  square,  and  there  the  carriage, 
with  the  little  Evangelical  band,  stopped,  and  soon  the  songs  of 
Zion  ascended  from  the  market  place.  The  first  service  in  the 
forenoon  was  conducted  by  Altimos,  who  preached  in  the  Eng- 
lish language.  In  the  afternoon  Seybert  preached  in  the  German 
language,  with  remarkable  power.  By  his  side  stood  the  little 
Evangelical  band,  while  around  them  surged  a  great  mass  of  peo- 
ple, for  the  most  part  strangers  to  the  experience  of  gospel  grace. 
While  preaching,  Seybert  held  in  his  hand  a  Testament,  from 
which  he  quoted  freely  during  his  discourse.  Suddenly  a  small 
stone  whizzed  past  the  head  of  Mrs.  Mertz,  as  though  coming 
from  a  sling,  and  struck  the  Testament,  passing  through  a  leaf 
which  Seybert  was  just  then  turning.  Raising  up  the  book  so 
that  all  could  see  it,  he  said,  "See,  some  one  has  cast  a  stone  on 
God's  Word,  but  he  will  pay  for  it  some  day,"  and  then  resumed 
his  discourse.  A  prominent  lawyer  who  stood  near  and  was  an 
attentive  observer  was  heard  to  say,  "These  men  know  what  they 
are  doing." 

Very  soon  after  this  event,  Henry  Smith  opened  his  house 
as  a  preaching  place,  and  soon  thereafter  Charles  Hesser,  then 
stationed  at  Philadelphia,  came  up  a  number  of  times  and  preached 
for  the  friends  in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  through  which  means 
a  number  of  souls  were  converted.  In  the  early  Spring  of  1838 
the  first  class  was  organized,  with  Henry  Smith  as  leader.  The 
work  gained  ground  every  day,  and  a  few  months  later  the  sec- 
ond class  was  organized,  with  Henry  Mertz  as  leader.  To  give 
permanency  to  the  work,  Mertz  and  his  Cedar  Creek  friends 
determined  to  purchase  a  lot  on  which  to  erect  a  church.  The 
purchasing  committee  were  Father  Mertz  and  his  son,  David, 
Solomon  Butz,  Benjamin  Mohr  and  Reuben  Glick.  The 
church  was  erected  in  1838,  on  Linden  Street,  from  which  three 
additional  strong  congregations  have  since  sprung. 

In  August,  1836,  the  first  camp-meeting  in  that  region  was 
held  on  the  land  of  Father  Mertz.  Great  masses  of  people  at- 
tended it,  especially  from  Allentown.    John  Seybert  was  the 

Note. — General  Henry  Mertz  and  wife  died  in  1844,  only  a  few  hours 
apart.  Their  son  David  and  his  wife  Catharine,  who  did  so  mnch  for  the 
establishment  of  the  Evangelical  work  in  this  vicinity,  after  spending  a  number 
of  years  in  the  active  ministry,  removed  to  Allentown,  where  he  died  in  1891, 
aged  about  eighty-six  years. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


103 


presiding  elder,  and  had  as  his  assistants  such  mighty  men  as  J. 
ScHNERR,  J.  P.  Leib,  John  Breidenstein,  J.  M.  Saylor  and 
others.  The  power  of  God  was  wonderfully  manifested,  many 
souls  were  saved,  and  the  good  seed  was  scattered  in  all  direc- 
tions. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  years  classes  were  organized  in  the 
neighboring  towns  of  Emaus,  Bethlehem,  Nazareth,  Springtown, 
Catasauqua,  Weissport,  Easton  and  others. 

Establlshitieiit  of  the  Work  in  Lebanon.  The  present 
flourishing  work  in  the  city  of  Lebanon  owes  its  origin  to  the 
labors  of  Philip  Breidenstein  and  his  son  John,  who  lived 
southeast  of  the  city,  and  Felix  Light,  a  Mennonite  preacher  of 
Lebanon.  Through  their  labors  a  number  of  souls  were  con- 
verted in  and  around  the  place  between  1824  and  1826.  Like 
many  other  converted  people  of  that  time,  they  were  unfavorable 
to  a  separate  organization.  In  1826,  when  John  Sevbert  was 
presiding  elder  of  Canaan  District,  he  succeeded,  after  consider- 
able effort,  in  organizing  a  small  class,  consisting  of  the  following 
members,  of  which  Henry  Fisher  was  made  leader  :  Henry 
Fisher,  George  Reinoehl  and  wife,  Henry  Bowman  and  wife 
Sarah,  John  Marlin  and  wife  Margaret,  David  Fisher,  Elias 
Stoever,  Jacob  Borkert,  Barbara  RiEGELand  Fronica  Light. 
The  work  gained  ground  very  rapidly,  and  commanded  the  favor 
and  respect  of  the  people.  In  1830  the  first  church  was  erected 
and  dedicated  by  Henry  Niebel  on  Sept.  26th.  Henry  Fisher, 
Elias  Stoever  and  Jacob  Borkert  (also  Burkitt)  became  min- 
isters of  great  prominence  in  the  Association. 

The  Work  Established  in  Philadelphia.  Although 
John  Dreisbach  in  18 15  preached  a  number  of  times  in  Phila- 
delphia, no  permanent  foothold  was  gained  until  1833.  In 
November  of  that  year  Jacob  Schnerr,  preacher-in-charge  of 
Lebanon  Circuit,  visited  the  city  with  a  view  of  establishing  the 
work.  Nov.  30th  he  preached  his  first  sermon  at  the  house  of  a 
widow  named  Ramer,  on  Poplar  street,  near  where  a  few  years 

Notes. — See  biographies  of  Fisher  and  Stoever  in  Biographical  Depart- 
ment. Rev.  Jacob  Burkitt  was  born  in  Lebanon  in  1805,  and  entered  the 
ranks  of  the  Eastern  Conference  in  1839.  He  was  the  first  missionary  of  the 
Church  in  New  York  City.  He  died  at  Greensburg,  Ohio,  Jan.  1 1,  188 1 .  David 
Light,  one  of  the  early  members  and  a  local  preacher,  died  in  1873,  ^^ged 
sixty-eight  years.  George  Reinoehl,  one  of  the  first  pillars  of  the  society, 
died  in  1875,  aged  seventy-nine  years. 


104  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


later  the  first  Evangelical  church  in  the  city  was  built.  His  text 
was,  "What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  A  man  named  David 
GuTBRODT  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  message  of  salvation, 
and  invited  the  speaker  to  preach  at  his  house  the  following 
evening,  which  he  did,  from  Acts  xxvi.  i8.  Thereafter  he  visited 
the  city  a  number  of  times  in  the  course  of  a  few  months,  and  a 
number  of  families  gladly  received  him.  Many  souls  were  saved 
through  his  instrumentality,  and  in  April,  1834,  he  organized  a 
class  of  thirty  members.  The  society  was  served  by  the  preachers 
of  an  adjoining  circuit  until  1835,  when  it  was  constituted  a 
mission,  with  Jacob  Schnerr  as  missionary.  He  met  with  good 
success,  and  at  the  end  of  the  year  reported  seventy-two  mem- 
bers. The  following  year,  about  Christmas,  a  glorious  revival 
began,  and  at  the  end  of  the  conference  year  the  society  num- 
bered one  hundred  and  twenty-four  members.  Sunday,  Oct.  i, 
1837,  the  first  church  of  the  Association  was  dedicated  by  John 
Seybert,  and  the  dedicatory  services  continued  as  a  revival 
meeting  for  several  weeks,  during  which  time  many  souls  were 
converted. 

Beginuliis  of  the  Work  at  Reading.  Reading  was  taken 
up  as  a  mission  in  1844,  and  Joseph  M.  Savlor  appointed  as 
missionary.  The  outlook  in  the  beginning  was  not  very  encour- 
aging. He  secured  the  upper  story  of  a  tannery  as  a  preaching 
place,  but  soon  found  it  unsuitable,  and  fitted  up  his  house  for 
the  purpose.  In  course  of  time  some  souls  were  converted  and 
the  prospects  grew  brighter.  Finally  a  kind-hearted  man,  Dr. 
Nagel,  became  interested  in  the  mission,  and  encouraged  Savlor 
to  erect  a  church.  He,  however,  encountered  great  difficulty  in 
gathering  funds  for  the  purpose,  on  account  of  opposition  to  the 
work  by  the  formal  Churches.  Finally,  however,  the  basement 
•  was  completed,  in  which  he  began  a  protracted  meeting,  resulting 
in  the  conversion  of  many  souls.  This  success  greatly  incensed 
the  opponents  of  the  work,  and  an  attack  was  made  upon  the 
assembly,  causing  great  disorder.  Dr.  Nagel  determined  to 
make  an  example  of  the  disturbers  and  brought  them  before  the 
bar  of  justice,  where  they  were  heavily  fined.  Thereafter  there 
was  peace,  the  mission  daily  grew  in  favor  and  soon  became 
self-sustaining.  In  no  other  place  has  the  work  prospered  more 
than  in  the  city  of  Reading.  Its  congregations  are  four  in 
number,  one  of  which  (Salem,  Eighth  street,)  is  the  strongest  of 
the  denomination. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


105 


Founding  of  the  Work  In  Baltimore,  Md.  At  the  ses- 
sion of  the  West  Pa.  Conference,  in  1840,  Rev.  Jacob  Boas  was 
sent  as  a  missionary  to  Baltimore,  Md.  He  arrived  there  on 
May  7th,  and  was  received  by  E.  Haupt,  in  whose  house  he 
preached  his  first  sermon  soon  after  his  arrival.  There  were  at 
this  time  but  two  members  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in  that 
city.  After  preaching  in  private  houses  for  some  time,  he  secured 
a  small  chapel  on  Fremont  and  Noeberg  streets.  Here  a  con- 
siderable revival  took  place  and  many  united  with  the  Church. 
The  little  band  was  soon  increased  by  the  addition  of  about  forty 
members  from  the  Otterbein  United  Brethren  Church.  In  Feb- 
ruary of  the  following  year  another  revival  took  place  and  many 
more  were  added  to  the  Church.  The  chapel  was  purchased  by 
the  society  during  the  year,  but  soon  became  too  small,  and  in 
March,  1841,  a  lot  was  secured  on  Camden  street,  where  a  church 
was  erected,  which  was  dedicated  Dec.  12,  1841.  Two  years 
later  a  parsonage  was  erected  by  the  side  of  the  church.  At  the 
end  of  two  years  Boas  reported  a  membership  of  215.  On  Dec. 
14,  1851,  the  church  was  destroyed  by  fire.  While  preparations 
were  going  on  for  the  rebuilding  of  the  church,  an  offer  of  $9,000 
for  the  property  by  a  railway  company  was  accepted.  Another 
site  was  secured  on  Green  street,  on  which  a  church  was  erected 
the  following  year.  The  work  in  Baltimore  is  now  in  a  prosper- 
ous condition,  consisting  of  six  congregations,  three  English  and 
three  German. 

In  the  Blockhouse.  This  term  represents  a  region  of 
country  in  the  northern  part  of  Pennsylvania  known  as  the  Lib- 
erty, or  Blockhouse  Valley,  situated  in  Lycoming  and  Tioga 
counties.  It  is  a  rugged  region,  about  1,500  feet  above  sea 
level,  surrounded  by  the  broken  ridges  of  the  Allegheny  Moun- 
tains. In  the  middle  of  this  valley  lies  the  town  of  Blockhouse, 
or  Liberty,  in  Tioga  county.  This  valley  contained  a  large 
number  of  Pennsylvania  and  European  Germans.    In  the  Fall  of 

Biographical  Note. — William  Numson,  one  of  the  leading  members  of 
the  Otterbein  Church,  with  many  others,  joined  the  little  society  organized  by 
Boas,  of  which  he  became  one  of  the  chief  members  and  was  its  chief  support 
for  many  years.  He  was  blessed  with  abundant  means  and  gave  thereof  to  the 
Church  with  a  liberal  hand,  his  most  munificent  gift  being  a  contribution  of 
many  thousands  of  dollars  for  the  erection  of  a  new  edifice  for  the  first  English 
society  in  Baltimore.  The  church  was  named  in  his  honor  the  "Memorial." 
N.  was  for  about  half  a  century  a  local  preacher.  He  died  in  1891,  in  the 
*ighty-ninth  year  of  his  age. 


106  E VANOELICAL  A880CIA TION  ANNALS. 


1830  John  Seybert,  presiding  elder  of  Salem  District,  passed 
through  this  region  on  his  way  to  the  State  of  New  York.  He 
stopped  for  the  night  at  the  house  of  John  Michael  Sindlinger, 
on  the  Blossburgh  road,  about  three  miles  west  of  Blockhouse. 
Before  leaving  he  arranged  for  a  meeting  at  Sindlinger's  on 
his  return.  Meanwhile  the  news  spread  among  the  people,  and 
when  he  returned,  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  the  house  was 
crowded  with  people  anxious  to  hear  the  new  preacher.  When 
he  was  about  to  announce  his  text,  a  somewhat  captious  man 
named  Gloeckler  —  doubtless  for  the  purpose  of  embarrassing 
him,  asked  him  to  preach  from  the  nineteenth  verse  of  the 
fifteenth  chapter  of  Jeremiah,  which  is  very  expressive  in  the 
German  language.  This  he  did  without  a  moment's  preparation, 
and  it  proved  to  be  the  message  of  God  to  that  people.  The 
power  of  the  Lord  came  down  and  soon  tears  began  to  flow,  and 
before  the  sermon  was  concluded  great  numbers  were  on  their 
knees  wrestling  with  God  for  mercy.  This  was  indeed  a  mem- 
orable service.  James  Barber,  preacher-in-charge  of  Centre 
Circuit,  then  made  a  journey  to  the  Blockhouse  to  establish  the 
work  more  fully.  A  number  of  other  preaching  places  were 
secured  in  the  valley  the  following  year,  but  owing  to  its  isolation 
the  work  here  could  not  receive  the  desired  attention. 

On  April  21,  1832,  Seybert  held  the  first  Evangelical  quar- 
terly meeting  in  the  Blockhouse  settlement.  The  services  on 
Saturday  were  held  at  the  house  of  Father  Sindlinger,  and  on 
the  following  Sunday  at  a  church  a  little  farther  west.  James 
Barber  was  still  preacher-in-charge.  Many  souls  were  converted 
and  the  first  class  in  Blockhouse  was  formed,  consisting  of 
twenty-one  members,  with  John  M.  Sindlinger  as  leader.  In 
a  few  years  Blockhouse  settlement  became  one  of  the  strongholds 
of  the  Church,  and  has  since  developed  into  four  flourishing 
charges.  The  principal  preaching  places  in  the  valley  were  the 
homes  of  John  Michael  Sindlinger,  Christian  Essig,  W. 

Biographical  Notes. — John  Michael  Sindlinger  emigrated  from  Wur- 
temburg,  Germany,  in  1818.  His  two  sons,  Joifti  and  Michael,  became 
prominent  ministers  of  our  Church,  the  former  in  1834  and  the  latter  in  1840. 
Father  Sindlinger  died  in  1837,  aged  fifty-seven  years.  Samuel  Hartman, 
Sr.,  died  in  1852,  aged  sixty-two  years,  and  Leonard  Schabacher  in  1842. 
He  had  emigrated  from  Germany  in  1824.  Solomon  Rt;pp  died  in  1863,  aged 
sixty-seven  years.  Rev.  Michael  Sindlinger  died  near  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
in  1888,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  He  served  many  years  in  the  itinerancy  of 
the  East  Pa.  Conference. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


107 


Landis,  G.  Kreager,  Samuel  Hartman,  Sr.,  Weltie's  and 
Diebler's.  North  of  Blockhouse  was  the  German  settlement 
proper.  The  preaching  places  were  at  the  houses  of  Christian 
Diehr,  Solomon  Rupp,  Jacob  Gloeckler  and  Leonard  Scha- 
BACHER.  The  latter  was  the  father-in-law  of  the  late  Judge  C. 
F.  Veil,  who  was  also  a  local  preacher  of  the  Church. 

John  Seybert  in  Northwestern  Peunsylvatila.  In 
1833  John  Seybert  was  appointed  missionary  to  explore  the 
northwestern  part  of  Pennsylvania  and  form  a  new  circuit  if 
practicable.  He  entered  upon  his  work  in  July,  arriving  on  the 
1 2th  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Gingerich,  near  Erie,  Erie  county, 
Pa.  He  at  once  sought  suitable  preaching  places  and  soon  found 
many  open  doors.  On  Sunday  morning,  July  14,  he  preached 
his  first  sermon  at  the  house  of  J.  Long.  The  principal  families 
in  Erie  and  vicinity  who  received  him  and  opened  their  houses 
for  religious  services  were  :  John  Hershev  (  i  ),  Jacob  and  John 
Long,  Jacob  Miller,  William  Heiss  (2),  Jacob  Ripplev  (3), 
David  Williams  (4)  and  the  families  of  Gimber,  Metzler, 
Brown  and  Kurtes.  A  number  of  the  foregoing  lived  at  Fair- 
view,  four  miles  east  of  Erie.  Three  classes  were  organized  at 
Erie  during  the  year,  the  leaders  of  which  were  John  Hershey, 
Samuel  Heiss  and  Jacob  Long.  In  and  around  Warren,  in 
Warren  county,  Seybert  met  with  equally  good  success,  and 
formed  three  classes  there.  Among  the  families  converted  there 
were  the  following :  Gross,  Ott,  Knopf,  Esher,  Grunder, 
Trier,  Vetter  and  Stubler.    The  leaders  of  the  classes  were 

Biographical  Notes. — (i)  John  Hershey  became  a  minister  and  ren- 
dered several  years  of  active  service  in  the  Ohio  Conference. 

(2)  William  Heiss  emigrated  with  his  family  from  Berks  county  to  Erie 
county,  Pa.,  where  they  were  all  converted  and  became  a  noted  Evangelical 
family.  He  died  in  1861,  aged  seventy-nine  years.  Five  of  his  sons  entered 
the  active  ministry  of  the  church,  as  follows:  Samuel,  born  in  1803,  entered 
the  itinerancy  in  1839  and  rendered  many  years  of  active  service  in  Pennsylva- 
nia and  Ohio,  died  in  1883,  aged  seventy-nine  years ;  Henry  entered  the  ranks 
of  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1837,  Levi  in  1840,  died  in  Indiana  in  1870  ;  Jacob 
in  1841  and  Peter  in  1842.  The  latter  in  the  (now)  Central  Pa.  Conference. 
He  died  in  1871,  at  Mifflinburg,  Pa.  They  were  humble,  devoted  men,  and 
did  good  work  for  the  Master's  cause. 

(3)  Jacob  Rippley,  from  Manor  township,  Lancaster  county,  was  a  son  of 
Elizabeth  Thomas,  who  was  one  of  the  first  to  open  her  house  as  a  preaching 
place  for  Albright. 

(4)  David  Williams  and  wife,  from  the  same  place,  were  converted  under 
Albright. 


108 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Henry  D.  Grunder,  Martin  Esher  and  John  Ott.  In  Craw- 
ford county  Seybert  was  also  kindly  received  by  a  number  of 
families,  among  whom  were  the  Gehrs  (5).  In  Mercer  county  he 
was  received  by  the  families  of  Eberhart  (6),  Phillips  (7), 
Bernhart,  Meyer,  Blank  and  Faulk,  and  in  Allegheny  county 
by  the  families  of  Huntsberger,  Shoutz  and  Herr.  After  a 
year  of  unsurpassed  activity  and  great  success,  he  closed  his 
labors  April  24,  1834,  having  traveled  3,011  miles,  preached  218 
sermons  and  reported  121  members,  100  of  whom  were  converted 
under  his  labors.  This  field  continued  to  prosper  and  has  devel- 
oped into  many  flourishing  charges. 

Fouiiditig  of  the  Work  in  New  York  State.  Near  the 
beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century  the  Indian  titles  to  the  land 
in  Northwestern  New  York  were  extinguished  and  the  country 
was  opened  for  settlement.  Among  the  people  who  flocked 
thither  in  quest  of  new  homes  were  a  great  many  Pennsylvania 
Germans.  In  1807  Christian  Wolf  removed  from  Buffalo  Val- 
ley (see  "  Lewisburgh "),  in  (now)  Union  county,  Pa.,  to  a 
place  four  miles  west  of  Seneca  Falls,  in  Seneca  county,  N.  Y. 
Wolf  was  a  local  preacher  and  uncle  of  Rev.  John  Dreisbach, 
at  whose  father's  house  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Jacob 
Albright  and  became  one  of  his  staunchest  supporters.  When 
Wolf  and  others  from  Northampton,  Lehigh  and  Union  counties 
settled  here  they  were  deprived  of  the  public  means  of  grace,  and 


(5)  From  this  family  came  Nicholas  Gehr,  editor  of  the  "Christliche 
Botschafter  "  in  1848. 

(6)  Abraham  Eberhart  and  wife  Esther  lived  in  Hickory  township. 
Mercer  county,  about  nine  miles  from  the  town  of  Mercer.  His  house  was  a 
preaching  place  for  many  years.  He  died  near  Chicago,  111.,  in  1880.  Five 
of  his  sons  became  ministers,  of  whom  the  following  two  served  many  years  in 
the  Evangelical  Association  :  Uriah  Eberhart,  born  in  1821,  entered  the 
itinerancy  of  the  West  Pa.  Conference  in  1843;  was  elected  presiding  elder  iii 
1849 ;  located  on  account  of  failing  health  at  the  end  of  his  term,  and  later 
removed  to  Illinois.  Levi  Eberhart,  born  in  1822,  entered  the  ministry  of 
the  West  Pa.  Conference  in  1841,  serving  seventeen  years  in  the  itinerancy. 
In  1852  he  withdrew  from  the  active  work  of  the  conference  and  later  removed 
to  Illinois,  where  he  again  entered  th«  active  ranks  and  served  one  term  as 
presiding  elder.  Prof.  John  F.  Eberhart,  born  in  1829,  became  principal  of 
the  newly-established  Albright  Seminary,  at  Berlin,  Somerset  county,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1853. 

(7)  Samuel  Phillips,  son  of  Conrad  Phillips,  one  of  the  first  supporters 
of  Albright,  and  present  at  the  first  council  of  1S03,  lived  several  miles  east 
of  Sharon.    He  died  in  1888,  aged  eighty-three  years. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


109 


Wolf  began  holding  prayer-meetings  among  the  settlers.  In 
1812  John  Dreisbach  and  Robert  McCray  were  sent  to  the 
newly-settled  region  by  the  conference.  The  Germans  there  were 
widely  scattered  and  the  brethren  did  not  succeed  as  they  antici- 
pated, so  that  they  became  discouraged,  and  leaving  the  work  in 
charge  of  Wolf,  they  returned  to  Pennsylvania.  Notwithstand- 
ing the  departure  of  the  missionaries,  the  work  in  New  York 
continued  to  live  under  the  care  of  Wolf.  A  class  was  formed 
about  this  time  in  this  locality  which  was  the  first  organization 
of  Evangelicals  beyond  the  bounds  of  Pennsylvania.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  class  were  Rev.  Christian  Wolf  (leader)  and  wife 
Barbara,  Jacob  Riegel  and  wife  Maria,  Abraham  Bachman 
and  wife,  John  Vreeland  and  wife,  J.  Pontius  and  wife,  besides 
a  number  of  younger  members  of  these  families. 

Wolf  remained  in  charge  of  the  work  until  1816,  when  Jacob 
Klinefelter  was  sent  thither,  and  from  that  time  the  field  was 
regularly  supplied.  The  charge  was  called  Lake  Mission,  by 
which  name  it  was  known  for  many  years.  At  the  close  of  1816 
the  membership  was  forty-two.  John  Dreisbach,  presiding 
elder,  also  visited  the  work  this  year,  extending  his  trip  to  Buf- 
falo. In  this  vicinity  he  preached  at  the  houses  of  Christian 
Thomas  and  P.  Bluecher.  Twelve  miles  from  Buffalo  he  preached 
at  the  house  of  Jacob  Schopp.  Crossing  over  into  Canada,  six 
miles  above  Niagara  Falls,  he  preached  at  the  house  of  Jacob 
Miller.  Near  Burlington  he  preached  at  the  houses  of  his 
uncles,  John  and  Jacob  Books.  This  was  the  first  visit  of  an 
Evangelical  presiding  elder  beyond  the  bounds  of  Pennsylvania. 

From  Seneca  county  as  a  center  the  Evangelical  work  spread 
into  Lyons,  Syracuse,  Rochester,  Lockport  and  also  Stueben 
county,  all  prior  to  1835.  The  entire  work  in  the  State  was  com- 
prised in  one  great  circuit  until  1832,  when  Buffalo  Circuit  was 
formed,  and  in  1833  Mohawk  Circuit.  In  1835  Joseph  Har- 
lacher,  who  served  Buffalo  Circuit,  began  to  preach  in  the  city 
of  Buffalo.  The  following  year  Buffalo  was  made  a  mission  and 
Harlacher  appointed  to  the  same.    He  met  with  great  success 

Biographical  Notes. — Jacob  Riegel,  formerly  of  Northampton  county. 
Pa. ,  was  the  main-stay  of  Lake  Circuit  after  the  death  of  WoLF.  His  house 
was  a  regular  preaching  place  for  many  years.  He  was  the  father  of  Rev.  J. 
Riegel.  He  died  in  1858,  aged  eighty-three  years,  and  his  wife  Maria  in 
1861,  aged  eighty-one  years.  John  Vreeland,  also  one  of  the  early  pillars  in 
Seneca  county,  died  in  1863.  Jacob  Schopp,  whose  house  was  the  first  preaching 
place  in  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo,  died  in  1853,  aged  eighty-seven  years. 


110  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


and  in  1837  organized  a  society  of  about  sixty  members.  It  was 
then  again  connected  with  the  circuit  until  1840,  when  it  was  made 
a  station,  of  which  F.  Krecker  was  the  first  pastor.  In  1839  a 
mission  was  located  in  the  city  of  New  York,  with  Jacob  Burkett 
as  missionary.  The  work  at  first  made  slow  progress,  but  finally 
a  flourishing  church  was  established. 

The  first  Evangelical  church  in  the  State  of  New  York  was 
erected  at  Clarence,  fifteen  miles  east  of  Buffalo,  and  was  dedi- 
cated in  1834.  The  year  following  another  was  dedicated  at  the 
first  appointment  in  Seneca  county,  another  at  Rochester  in  1842, 
and  in  1844  at  Lyons,  Syracuse  and  New  York  City. 

The  Church  Established  In  Canada.  As  already  noticed, 
J.  Dreisbach  visited  Upper  Canada  as  early  as  18 16,  but  with- 
out permanent  results.  In  1836  Rev.  J.  G.  Zinser  visited  the 
province,  remaining  nine  days.  The  same  year  Rev.  Charles 
Hammer,  who  was  serving  Buffalo  Circuit,  also  went  thither,  and 
again  in  the  following  January,  everywhere  meeting  with  open 
doors  to  preach  the  Word  of  Life.  A  little  later  J.  Harlacher 
also  visited  the  province,  but  no  regular  appointment  was 
maintained. 

In  September,  1838,  a  very  remarkable  appeal  from  H.  W. 
Peterson,  Waterloo,  Upper  Canada,  was  published  in  the  "Bot- 
schafter. "  Mr.  P.  was  a  highly  influential  man.  In  this  com- 
munication he  set  forth  the  deplorable  condition  of  the  people, 
and  entreated  the  Church  to  send  them  missionaries.  In  1839 
the  Eastern  Conference  established  two  missions  in  Canada  — 
Waterloo  and  Black  Creek.  Christian  Holl  and  Michael  Eis 
were  the  first  missionaries.  They  met  with  remarkable  success. 
So  great  was  the  religious  interest  that  Holi,  was  enabled  to  hold 
a  camp-meeting  on  his  charge  —  the  first  in  Canada.  It  was 
held  on  the  land  of  David  Erb,  two  miles  north  of  Waterloo, 
beginning  Aug.  23.  Many  were  converted,  among  whom  was 
Philip  Smith,  who  afterwards  became  a  prominent  minister  of 
the  Canada  Conference.  Two  classes  were  organized  as  a  result 
of  this  meeting,  which  were  the  first  organizations  of  the  Church 
in  Canada.  In  Berlin  and  Waterloo  the  work  gained  ground 
daily.  The  following  year  Joseph  Harlacher  was  appointed 
to  this  work  and  met  with  continued  success.  So  rapid  was  the 
growth  of  the  work  that  in  1847  it  was  constituted  a  district. 
The  first  Evangelical  church  in  Canada  was  dedicated  in  Berlin, 
Sept.  26,  1 84 1. 


CHAPTER  V. 


FRANKLIN  CIRCUIT. 

Establishment  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in  South- 
western Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  —  Early  Preach- 
ing Places,  Classes  and  Prominent  Laymen. 

On  Easter  day,  1808,  Rev.  Jacob  Albright  stationed  his 
little  band  of  preachers  for  the  last  time.  John  Walter  and 
Jacob  Frey  were  appointed  by  him  to  the  "Old"  or  Schuylkill 
Circuit.  Some  time  after  Albright's  death  a  change  was  made, 
John  Erb,  who  entered  the  ministry  in  the  Fall  of  1808,  taking 
the  place  of  Frey,  who  was  sent  to  explore  York  and  adjacent 
counties.  Frey  found  some  open  doors  and  established  a  num- 
ber of  preaching  places.  After  some  months  of  labor  he  resigned, 
and  the  work  remained  unsupplied  for  one  year.  In  1810  John 
Erb  and  Matthias  Betz  were  appointed  to  form  a  new  circuit 
and  in  a  short  time  extended  the  work  into  the  counties  of  York, 
Adams,  Cumberland  and  Franklin  in  Pennsylvania,  and  Carroll 
and  Washington  in  Maryland.  The  bounds  of  this  great  field 
remained  without  material  change  until  1815,  when  James  Bruer 
extended  the  work  into  West  Virginia,  as  will  be  noted  in  a 
subsequent  chapter. 

In  describing  the  establishment  of  the  Evangelical  work  on 
this  field,  we  deem  it  best  to  begin  at  the  eastern  extremity  and 
proceed  westward. 

York  County — Freysville.  Near  the  Susquehanna  River, 
in  Windsor  township,  is  the  village  of  Freysville.  This  was  one 
of  the  preaching  places  of  Jacob  Frey  in  1808.  A  class  was 
formed  here  in  18 10,  the  principal  members  of  which  were :  John 
Frey  (leader),  Daniel  and  John  Oberderf,  Peter  and  Henry 
Yeider,  John  Bellinger,  Fred.  Ilgenfritz  and  Michael 


112  E  VANGELIGAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANKALS. 


Hess.  About  this  time  also  John  Jacob  Becker,  of  the  noted 
family  of  that  name  on  the  Muehlbach,  also  removed  to  this 
place.  It  is  a  remarkable  circumstance  that  so  many  of  our 
early  Evangelical  people  emigrated  to  the  West,  in  some  instances 
almost  entire  classes  left  the  homes  of  their  nativity.  We  call 
attention  to  this  fact  as  indicating  that  by  far  the  greater  number 
of  the  first  members  of  the  Association  in  the  West  were  sons  and 
daughters  of  the  Old  Keystone  State.  In  1822  a  large  number 
of  the  Freysville  Class  emigrated  to  Brush  Valley,  Indiana  county, 
Pa. ,  and  were  immediately  followed  by  the  Evangelical  preachers. 
Among  them  were  the  class-leaders,  John  Frev,*  Daniel  and 
John  Oberdorf  and  Michael  Hess.  Henry  YEioERf  removed 
to  Wayne  county,  O.,  where  he  opened  his  house  as  a  regular 
preaching  place. 

Mount  ZiOU.  About  six  miles  west  of  Freysville  was  the 
Seitz  settlement.  Here  was  the  old  home  of  John  Seitz,  Sr., 
who  came  from  Germany  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century. 
He  had  a  large  family,  some  of  whom  became  prominent  in  the 
Association.  The  emigrant  died  in  1 793,  but  his  aged  companion 
Catharine,  who,  with  her  youngest  son  John,  occupied  the  old 
homestead,  received  the  Evangelical  preachers,  died  in  1813. 
Four  married  daughters  and  one  son  of  this  excellent  family  had 
removed  to  Ohio  in  the  first  years  of  the  century,  and  were 
among  the  first  to  open  their  doors  to  the  Evangelical  mission- 
aries in  1816.  (See  Lancaster  Circuit.)  The  Seitz  appointment 
became  one  of  the  strongholds  of  the  Association  at  an  early  day. 
A  stone  church  was  erected  here  in  1827,  which  was  one  of  the 
first  churches  of  the  Association. 

The  Seitz  Class.  A  class  was  formed  at  Mt.  Zion  in  18 10. 
The  following  were  the  principal  members:  John  Seitz  (i), 
leader;  Jacob  Bailv  (2),  Nicholas  Enders  (3),  Michael 


*  John  Frev  died  in  1876,  aged  eighty-nine  years. 

\  Henry  Yeider  died  in  Wayne  county,  O.,  in  i846,aged  seventy-six  years. 

Biographical  Notes. — i.  Rev.  J.  Seitz  and  wife  died  in  1856,  aged 
seventy-eight  and  seventy-one  years,  respectively.  He  was  a  strong  pillar  in 
the  church  in  the  early  days. 

2.  Jacob  Bailv  and  wife  Catharine  at  an  early  day  removed  to  Elims- 
port,  Lycoming  county.  Pa.,  and  were  the  means  of  establishing  the  work  there. 
He  served  thirty-three  years  as  class-leader,  and  died  in  1846,  aged  sixty  years. 

3.  Nicholas  Enders,  class-leader,  and  later  local  preacher,  removed  to 
Portage  county,  O.,  and  died  there  in  1846. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


113 


Fisher,  J.  Reber,  Conrad  Hess,  Conrad  Reinhart  (4),  John 
Staebler  (5),  John  Philip  Dick,  Jacob  Reinhart,  Christian 
AuBEL  (6),  G.  Gladfelter  and  John  Lucas. 

John  Reber  lived  near  Loganville.  His  home  was  one  of  the 
first  preaching  places  (1810),  and  soon  thereafter  a  class  was 
formed  there.    This  was  the  origin  of  the  Church  at  Loganville. 

Shrewsbury — The  Klluefelters.  Several  miles  from  the 
Seitz  appointment  was  the  village  of  Strassburgh,  now  Shrews- 
bury. In  this  vicinity  lived  the  K  linefei.ters,  a  nam©  prominent 
in  the  history  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  John  Klinefel- 
ter was  one  of  several  brothers  who  came  from  Germany  and 
settled  here.  He  was  born  in  Hanover  in  1736,  and  died  Oct. 
I,  1821,  aged  eighty-four  years.  His  wife  Margaret  died  in 
1813.  These  were  the  grandparents  of  Rev.  John  and  Jacob 
Klinefelter. 

One  of  the  sons  of  the  emigrant  was  named  Jacob,  whose 
wife's  name  was  Julia.  They  had  a  large  family  of  sons  and 
daughters,  nearly  all  of  whom  were  grown  up  when  the  Evangel- 
ical preachers  first  visited  them.  The  names  of  the  children 
were  :  John,  Jacob,  Michael,  Peter,  George,  Henry,  William, 
Joseph,  Elizabeth,  Mary  (both  the  latter  married  brothers 
named  Baker  and  removed  to  Ohio),  Julia,  Lena  and  Leah. 
This  entire  family,  with  few  exceptions,  removed  to  Ohio,  where 
they  became  pillars  in  the  Church.  Jacob  Klinefelter,  the 
father,  was  born  in  York  county  in  1767  and  died  in  1830.  His 
wife  Julia  died  at  the  home  of  her  son.  Rev.  Jacob  Klinefelter, 
near  Marion,  O.,  in  1843,  aged  seventy-one  years. 

When  the  Evangelical  preachers  first  came  to  Jacob  Kline- 
felter, Sr.,  his  aged  parents  were  yet  living  and  were  made  the 
subjects  of  saving  grace.  When  the  old  homestead  became  an 
Evangelical  preaching  place  in  18 10  the  Klinefelters,  who 
were  members  of  a  formal  Church,  became  the  victims  of  sore 
persecution  which  for  bitterness  has  seldom  been  exceeded  in 
the  history  of  the  Association.    When  the  wife  of  the  emigrant 

4.  Conrad  Reinhart  also  removed  to  Ohio,  and  became  prominent  there. 
He  died  in  1871,  aged  eighty-six  years. 

5.  John  Staebler  (wife  Susanna)  removed  to  Wayne,  Clinton  county,  Pa., 
where  they  were  the  first  to  receive  our  preachers.  A  fine  congregation  is  the 
result  of  the  work  begun  at  their  house. 

6.  Rev.  Christian  Aubel  died  in  Medina  county,  O.,  in  1871,  aged 
eighty-two  years. 


114  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION'  ANNALS. 


died  in  1813  preparations  were  made  to  bury  her  in  the  graveyard 
of  a  church  near  by  where  the  whole  family  had  been  members. 
The  church  council,  however,  decided  that  inasmuch  as  mother 
K.  "had  fallen  away  from  the  faith"  she  could  not  be  buried  in 
that  churchyard.  Great  indeed  was  the  tribulation  of  her  aged 
husband,  who,  after  having  been  the  chief  instrument  in  building 
that  church,  and  had  laid  away  his  dead  in  its  consecrated 
enclosure,  was  now  denied  sepulture  for  his  companion,  who  had 
come  with  hira  from  the  Fatherland.  A  family  consultation  was 
held,  the  result  of  which  was  that  she  was  buried  in  a  field  on  the 
old  homestead.  Soon  after  this  others  who  were  denied  burial 
at  the  church  were  interred  by  the  side  of  Mother  Klinefelter, 
so  that  this  became  the  Jirst  burying  ground  of  the  Evangelical 
Association.  In  later  years  a  church  was  built  here  (Klinefel- 
ter's  Chapel). 

Jacob  Klinefelter's  became  a  famous  place  for  general  and 
camp-meetings.  In  1815  the  conference  held  its  annual  session 
here.  John  Klinefelter  was  the  secretary,  and  both  he  and 
his  brother  Jacob  were  ordained  in  the  house  in  which  they  were 
born.  It  is  said  their  parents  and  grandfather  rejoiced  greatly 
on  this  occasion. 

In  the  town  of  Shrewsbury  lived  Joseph  Klinefelter,  who 
first  heard  of  the  Evangelical  preachers  at  the  house  of  John 
Seitz.  He  invited  them  to  preach  in  his  place,  which  they  did 
soon  after  the  new  circuit  was  established.  He  fitted  up  his  barn 
for  services,  and  this  served  very  well  until  a  church  was  built 
jointly  with  the  Methodists  in  1822.  This  church  is  generally 
considered  the  second  edifice  of  the  Association.  The  confejence 
was  held  here  immediately  after  its  erection.  Joseph  Klinefel- 
ter also  had  his  trials  to  endure,  because  he  espoused  the  cause 
of  Evangelical  truth.  He  had  been  a  deacon  in  the  Lutheran 
Church  and  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  the  town.  His  aged 
mother  was  greatly  shocked  that  he  had  "fallen  away  from  the 
faith,"  and  serious  family  trouble  seemed  inevitable  as  the  result 
of  his  course.  The  mother,  however,  became  convinced  of  the 
truth,  became  a  subject  of  saving  grace,  joined  the  society  and 
soon  thereafter  died  triumphantly.  Joseph  K.  died  in  1837, 
aged  fifty-four  years.  His  wife  Margaret  died  in  1877,  aged 
ninety-four  years. 

Where  Rail  Road  borough  is  now  situated,  near  Shrewsbury, 
lived  John  Adam  Klinefelter,  an  older  brother  of  Joseph, 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


115 


noticed  in  the  preceding  paragraph.  He  was  a  man  of  means 
and  considerable  influence,  and  was  the  father  of  Rev.  Adam 
Klinefelter,  who  became  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  Church. 
When  the  circuit  was  formed,  in  1810,  his  children,  most  of 
whom  were  grown  up,  became  acquainted  with  John  Walter 
and  John  Dreisbach,  the  preachers-in-charge.  The  family  of 
Klinefelter  arranged  to  have  Dreisbach  preach  at  their  house. 
Mr.  K.,  who  was  a  worldly  man,  did  not  interfere.  After  the 
first  service  the  formal  Church  people  waited  on  him  and  incited 
him  against  the  Evangelical  work,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest 
difficulty  that  preaching  was  maintained  at  his  place.  In  course 
of  time,  however,  he  became  reconciled  to  the  meetings,  but 
never  united  with  the  society.  His  children,  however,  nine  in 
number,  became  noted  Evangelicals.  His  son-in-law,  Peter 
Kohler,  was  one  of  the  first  class-leaders  at  Shrewsbury,  and 
later  removed  to  Ohio, where  he  was  a  prominent,  useful  member 
for  many  years. 

Carroll  County,  Maryland.  John  Philip  Dick  and  his 
wife  Marv  were  converted  at  the  house  of  John  Seitz,  in  York 
county.  Pa.,  in  the  beginning  of  the  work  there,  and  soon  after 
removed  a  few  miles  south  into  Maryland,  where  his  home  became 
a  preaching  place,  the  result  of  which  was  a  fine  congregation 
and  church  in  later  years  (Ruhl's  church).  Dick  died  in  1855, 
aged  sixty-nine  years.  His  son  Joseph  entered  the  ministry  of 
the  West  Pa.  Conference  in  1844.  In  1810  the  Evangelical 
preachers  found  entrance  near  Manchester.  They  were  received 
by  Peter  Bixler,  Father  Fruh,  the  Dehoffs  and  others.  A 
class  was  formed,  which  continued  to  flourish  for  many  years. 

Conewago — Tlie  Ettlngers.  In  the  northwestern  part  of 
York  county,  twenty-five  miles  from  Shrewsbury,  Walter  and 
Dreisbach  found  open  doors  in  18 10,  and  good  appointments 
were  taken  up  in  Dover  and  Warrington  townships,  along  the 
Conewago  Creek.  Near  Mt.  Royal  was  the  home  of  Rev.  Adam 
Ettinger,  a  Reformed  minister,  who  died  in  1809.  He  was  a 
man  of  liberal  and  Evangelical  views,  and  encouraged  the  relig- 

Biographical  Notes. — Father  Bixler  died  in  1853,  aged  eighty-two  years. 
His  son  Jacob  entered  the  ministry  in  1 82 1,  and  died  at  Fairview,  Iowa,  in 
1887,  aged  eighty-six  years.  John  Dehoff  entered  the  ministry  in  1815,  trav- 
eled about  ten  years  and  settled  in  Wayne  county,  O.  His  brother,  MoSES 
Dehoff,  entered  the  ministry  in  1816,  and  later  settled  in  Sandusky  county,  O. 
John  Fruh  entered  the  ministry  in  1816. 


116 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


ious  awakening  of  that  day.  Christian  Newcomer  and  other 
promoters  of  the  Evangelical  movement  were  often  guests  at  his 
house.  His  widow  and  her  sons  were  still  living  at  the  old  home 
when  our  first  preachers  made  their  appearance  in  this  locality. 
The  names  of  the  sons  were  Adam,  Jacob,  John,  Benjamin, 
Jonas  and  Daniel.  The  conversion  of  this  family  occurred 
under  somewhat  peculiar  circumstances.  Late  in  the  Autumn 
of  1810  Walter  and  Dreisbach  held  a  general  meeting  at  the 
house  of  Christian  Meyers,  near  the  Conewago,  which  was 
attended  by  the  widow  Ettinger  and  a  number  of  her  sons. 
The  preaching  of  Walter  made  a  profound  impression  on  her, 
and  she  was  led  to  see  and  feel  the  insufficiency  of  her  profession. 
In  the  midst  of  the  service,  and  as  if  completely  overcome  by 
the  power  of  God,  she  exclaimed,  "This  is  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
and  the  precious  truth  of  the  Gospel."  Then  going  to  her  son 
Adam,  who  was  in  the  assembly,  she  fell  upon  his  neck  and 
exclaimed,  "Adam  we  are  lost,  we  must  be  converted  to  God." 
This  pathetic  incident  greatly  moved  the  assembly,  many  more 
became  concerned  for  their  salvation  and  many  conversions  fol- 
lowed, among  whom  was  the  widow  Ettinger,  with  all  her 
children,  of  whom  Adam,  Benjamin  and  Jacob  became  Evan- 
gelical preachers  a  few  years  thereafter. 

The  homes  of  Michael  Jacobs  and  Michael  Ashenfelter 
were  the  chief  preaching  places  on  the  north  side  of  the  Cone- 
wago. The  first  Evangelical  camp-meeting  in  York  county  was 
held  on  the  land  of  brother  Jacobs  in  1814.  A  class  was  formed 
in  this  region  in  18 11,  the  chief  members  of  which  were  Michael 
Ashenfelter,  Michael  Jacobs,  Christian  Meyers  and  Anna 
Ettinger,  with  their  families,  Abraham  Bayer  and  wife  Maria 
and  Conrad  Miller  and  wife  Dorothea. 

x'n  1820  George  Gladfelter,  an  influential  man,  received 
the  Evangelical  preachers  and  became  a  great  support  to  the 
cause.  On  his  place  were  held  the  camp-meetings  for  Upper 
York  county  for  many  years. 

Biographical  Notes. — Mother  Anna  Ettinger  died  in  1842,  aged 
seventy-six  years.  Rev.  A.  Ettinger,  Jr.,  died  in  1877,  aged  ninety  years 
(see  biography).  Rev.  Benjamin  Ettinger  died  in  Sandusky  county,  O.,  in 
1838,  aged  forty-four  years.  JoN  Ettinger  died  in  Morrow  county,  O.,  in 
1863,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  Jonas  Ettinger  died  near  Leavenworth, 
Kan.,  in  1863,  aged  seventy-eight  years.  His  family  were  of  the  first  Evangel- 
icals in  Kansas.  Michael  Ashenfelter,  who  was  class-leader  of  the  Cone- 
wago Class  for  thirty  years,  and  died  in  1855,  aged  seventy-four  years. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


117 


Adams  County.  One  of  the  first  to  receive  the  Evangeli- 
cal preachers  in  Adams  county  were  Father  Conrad  Bender  and 
wife  Susan.  This  was  probably  as  early  as  1810.  All  their  chil- 
dren were  grown,  and  several  of  them  heads  of  families,  and  so 
far  as  can  be  learned,  all  were  converted  and  became  members 
of  the  society.  The  sons,  Jacob  and  Henry,  were  for  upwards 
of  half  a  century  the  chief  men  of  the  old  Gettysburg  Circuit. 

The  Bendersville  Class  was  organized  about  18 14.  Follow- 
ing were  the  members  :  Father  Conrad  Bender  and  wife  Susan, 
Henry  Bender  and  wife  Elizabeth,  Jacob  Bender  and  wife 
Eve  Catharine,  Elizabeth  (Bender)  Wahley,  John  Schlos- 
SER  and  wife  Susan,  Christian  Price  and  wife  Catharine. 
Jacob  Bender  was  class-leader  for  many  years,  and  his  place 
was  noted  for  general  and  camp-meetings. 

The  Evangelical  work  here,  as  elsewhere,  was  at  first  bitterly 
opposed.  The  following  incident,  related  by  an  eye  witness, 
shows  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  of  our  early  Evangelical  people  : 
John  Schlosser  was  a  tavern-keeper  when  he  was  converted,  and 
at  once  forsook  the  business.  His  father,  Peter  Schlosser,  who 
was  a  wealthy  man,  having  heard  that  his  son  had  "fallen  away 
from  the  faith,"  (he  was  a  member  of  one  of  the  formal  churches) 
came  to  him  in  a  towering  rage,  and  with  oaths  and  imprecau- 
tions  denounced  the  "Albrights"  as  heretics,  and  their  preach- 
ers as  deceivers,  and  declared  that  none  of  his  children  who 
joined  them  should  be  his  heirs.  He  then  flung  fifty  dollars  in 
gold  on  the  table,  and  told  his  son  to  take  it  as  his  portion. 
Then  going  to  his  daughter  Elizabeth  (Mrs.  Jacob  Bender), 
the  same  scene  was  enacted,  and  a  like  sum  paid  her.  The  cruel 
father  never  relented,  but  what  he  withheld  the  Lord  supplied  for 
his  disinherited  children,  and  they  had  an  abundance  of  this 
world's  goods.  At  a  later  date  Jacob  and  Henry  Bender  pur- 
chased the  tavern  stand  and  laid  out  the  town  of  Bendersville, 
now  a  place  of  considerable  size,  and  where  the  church  repre- 
senting the  old  class  is  situated.  Some  years  after  his  conver- 
sion, John  Schlosser  removed  to  Cumberland  county,  where  he 
opened  his  house  as  an  Evangelical  preaching  place.  While  liv- 
ing there  a  friendless  youth  named  Jacob  Schnerr  found  a  home 


Biographical  Notes. — Henry  Bender  died  in  1863,  aged  seventy-eight 
years.  Jacob  Bender  died  in  1865,  aged  eighty-three  years.  John  Schlosser 
died  in  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  in  1840. 


1 13  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANNALS. 


with  him  and  was  converted.  His  call  to  a  signally  useful  min- 
istry is  elsewhere  related. 

Near  the  base  of  the  South  Mountain  lived  J.  Bishop,*  who 
was  converted  (presumably)  at  Benders,  and  in  1816  opened 
his  house  as  a  preaching  place.  Ludwig  Group,  a  wealthy  and 
influential  man,  also  received  our  preachers  at  an  early  day,  and 
a  good  class  was  formed  in  this  vicinity. 

Cumberland  County.  At  the  extreme  western  end  of 
Cumberland  county,  near  the  base  of  the  South  Mountain,  and 
about  four  miles  from  Shippensburg,  is  a  locality  known  as  "The 
Pines."  Here  lived  the  excellent  families  of  Buchman,  Clever, 
Helm,  Reese  and  Mower.  Philip  Buchman  had  four  sons 
named  Abraham,  Joseph,  Henry  and  Philip.  Several  cir- 
cumstances seem  to  indicate  that  this  place  was  visited  by  our 
preachers  prior  to  the  formation  of  the  circuit.  When  the  Frank- 
lin Circuit  was  formed  in  18 10,  Abraham  Buchman  opened  his 
house  as  a  regular  preaching  place,  as  did  also  Henry  Mower, 
who  lived  a  few  miles  farther  south.  The  former,  who  was  con- 
verted in  1808,  became  the  chief  instrument  in  the  hands  of 
God  in  the  establishment  and  extension  of  our  work  here.  His 
brother  Joseph  also  became  a  noted  worker. 

About  this  time  Abraham  Buchman's  father-in-law,  "Barney" 
Clever,  who  had  a  large  family,  became  very  ill,  and  as  he  was 
old  and  unprepared  to  die,  Abraham  and  Joseph  Buchman  went 
to  his  house  to  pray  with  him.  While  they  were  kneeling  by  his 
bedside  engaged  in  prayer  in  his  behalf,  a  brother  of  Clever's, 
who  had  heard  of  his  illness,  arrived  and  entered  the  room. 
Being  bitterly  opposed  to  the  Evangelical  work,  he  became  very 
angry  at  the  sight  and  siezed  Joseph,  who  was  a  small  man,  and 
threw  him  out  of  the  door.  This  godless  act  greatly  shocked 
the  community,  and  turned  out  to  the  furtherance  of  our  work. 
Clever  was  converted,  and  after  his  recovery  united  with  the 
Church,  as  did  also  his  family,  f 

Several  miles  southwest  of  the  Pines  our  preachers  found 
open  doors  at  the  homes  of  John  and  Jacob  Vandersall,  whose 
houses  became  regular  preaching  places  in  18 10.  No  class  was 
formed  here.  The  Vandersalls  as  well  as  others  here  belonged 
to  the  class  in  the  Pines.    The  principal  members  of  the  Pines 

*J.  Bishop  died  in  1852. 

f  This  incident  was  related  to  the  author  by  Mother  Helm,  a  daughter  of 
"Barney"  Clever,  who  witnessed  it. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


119 


Class  in  1811  were:  Abraham  Buchman  (leader)  and  wife, 
Joseph  Buchman  and  wife,  Barney  Clever,  wife  and  family, 
Henry  Mower  and  wife,  David  Mower  (son  of  Henry)  and 
wife,  Adam  Reese  and  wife  Catharine,  John  Vandersall  and 
wife,  Jacob  Vandersall  and  wife  Barbara,  besides  others  whose 
names  cannot  be  ascertained  with  certainty.  The  Pines  Class 
in  the  course  of  a  few  years  became  one  of  the  strongest  and  best 
in  the  Association.  Three  flourishing  congregations,  each  pro- 
vided with  a  good  church,  are  now  found  in  this  vicinity. 

Abraham  Buchmatt — Incidents.  Abraham  Buchman 
was  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  of  the  Church.  Soon  after 
his  conversion  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  in  18 13  entered 
the  active  ministry.  After  three  years  of  hard  service  he  located, 
but  continued  to  travel  and  preach  as  circumstances  permitted. 
His  crowning  work  was  the  holding  of  camp-meetings  on  his  land 
for  many  years.  At  one  time  when  he  exhorted  after  some  one 
else  had  preached,  the  audience  was  greatly  moved  and  his  aged 
father,  who  had  thus  far  resisted  the  Gospel,  came  to  the  altar 
as  a  penitent.  Hundreds  of  souls  were  converted  here,  some  of 
whom  became  useful  ministers.  Buchman's  liberality  became 
proverbial.  Although  in  very  moderate  circumstances,  he  gave 
most  royally.  He  often  said  that  what  he  gave  to  the  Lord 
through  the  door  was  sent  back  to  him  through  the  windows. 
On  one  occasion,  at  a  camp-meeting  in  his  grove,  when  a  specially 
good  collection  was  desired  and  a  strong  appeal  was  made,  he 
surprised  everybody  by  opening  his  purse  over  the  plate  and 
emptying  all  its  contents,  which  were  considerable,  upon  it.* 
On  another  occasion  he  surprised  an  indigent  candidate  for  the 
ministry  by  presenting  him  with  horse,  saddle  and  bridle,  f  At 

♦This  was  related  to  the  author  by  an  eye  witness, 
f  See  biography  of  Jacob  Schnerr. 

Biographical  Notes. — John  Vandersall  entered  the  active  ministry  in 
1821,  having  served  several  years  prior  as  a  local  preacher.  Failing  in  health 
he  located  in  1823,  and  died  in  1826.  His  daughter  Elizabeth  was  the  wife 
of  the  noted  Rev.  John  Hamilton. 

Jacob  Vandersall  became  a  local  preacher  soon  after  his  conversion.  In 
1817  he  removed  to  Summit  county,  O.,  where  his  house  became  one  of  the  first 
preaching  places.  He  rendered  great  service  to  the  Church  in  Ohio.  He  died 
in  1853,  ^g^^  seventy  years.    His  wife  Barbara  died  in  1865. 

Joseph  Buchman  at  an  early  day  removed  to  Stark  county,  O.,  where  his 
house  became  a  preaching  place.    He  died  in  1839,  aged  fifty-six  years. 

Rev.  Abraham  Buchman  removed  to  Adams  county,  Ind.,  in  1840,  where 
he  died  in  1856,  aged  seventy-seven  years. 


120 


EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


another  time  he  gave  the  conference  forty  dollars  wherewith  to 
purchase  a  horse  for  any  poor  preacher  it  might  designate. 

BucHMAN  was  a  remarkably  fearless  man.  One  incident, 
which  he  related  to  his  nephew,  from  whom  the  author  obtained 
it,  may  suffice  to  show  his  courage.  In  1814,  when  he  traveled 
Somerset  Circuit,  which  then  embraced  nearly  half  of  the  terri- 
tory of  the  present  Pittsburg  Conference,  he  learned  that  two 
men  had  declared  their  intention  to  kill  him  the  next  time  he 
made  his  trip  across  the  AUeghenies.  Nothing  daunted,  trusting 
in  God,  he  started  on  his  trip  as  usual.  When  crossing  the 
mountains  from  Morrison's  Cove  he  saw  the  men  who  had  threat- 
ened his  life  standing,  gun  in  hand,  one  on  each  side  of  the  road. 
Knowing  their  dangerous  character  and  evil  designs,  he  looked 
to  God  for  help  and  advanced.  The  men  seemed  dumbfounded 
at  his  boldness  and  stood  motionless  and  silent,  and  he  passed 
them  in  safety. 

Mount  Rock  and  Vlciaity.  About  midway  between  Car- 
lisle and  Shippensburg  the  Evangelical  work  was  introduced  in 
1818.  The  first  preaching  place  was  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Anna 
Maria  Spangler.  She  invited  the  preachers  to  her  house,  and 
was  a  great  support  to  the  cause  until  her  death.  In  the  above 
year  J.  Zinn  and  George  Nailor  also  opened  their  houses  as 
preaching  places.  The  latter  became  a  local  preacher  and  did 
much  to  build  up  the  Evangelical  work  in  Cumberland  Valley. 
John  Minnich  and  J.  Wagoner  were  also  of  the  first  members 
in  Cumberland  Valley.  At  the  home  of  the  latter  a  class  was 
formed  and  later  a  church  built,  which  bears  his  name.  Quite  a 
number  of  the  young  converts  became  eminent  ministers,  among 
whom  was  Philip  Wagoner,  in  1822.  In  Mifflin  township  the 
Evangelical  preachers  were  received  by  Peter  Jacobv  in  1824. 

In  1832,  when  J.  M.  Savlor  had  charge  of  Franklin  Circuit, 
a  camp-meeting  was  held  near  Mount  Rock,  which  was  attended 
by  several  highly  respectable  people  from  the  vicinity  of  Carlisle, 
who,  although  members  of  another  Church,  felt  their  need  of 
greater  spirituality,  and  attended  the  meeting  with  that  end  in 


Biographical  Notes. — Mrs.  Anna  Maria  Spangler,  who  was  the  first 
to  receive  the  Evangelical  preachers  at  Mount  Rock,  died  in  1842,  aged  eighty 
years. 

Rev.  George  Nailor  died  in  1854,  aged  seventy-six  years. 
Peter  Jacobv,  the  first  to  receive  the  preachers  in  Mifflin  township,  died  in 
1854,  aged  eighty  years. 


THE  EABLT  DAYS. 


121 


view.  Among  these  people  was  the  wife  of  David  Kutz,  who 
resided  a  few  miles  east  of  Carlisle.  It  was  she  who  first  invited 
J.  M.  Saylor  to  come  to  their  place  and  preach  for  them,  which 
he  did  soon  after  the  camp-meeting  closed.  Great  opposition 
was  brought  to  bear  against  the  Evangelical  work  in  this  vicinity, 
and  the  faith  of  the  Kutz  family  in  the  preacher  was  severely 
tried.  All  manner  of  scandalous  stories  were  circulated  against 
him.  They,  however,  remained  firm  friends  to  him  and  the  cause, 
and  a  good  footing  was  gained.  Other  influential  people  also 
were  converted,  among  them  Jacob  Kutz,  Christian  Ruhl  and 
John  Kratzer.  A  strong  society  and  a  good  church  was  the 
immediate  outcome  of  this  work,  which  later  led  to  the  establish- 
ment of  societies  at  New  Kingston,  Carlisle,  Mt.  Holly,  Stoney- 
town  and  other  points. 

State  Litie.  Nearly  midway  between  Greencastle,  Pa.,  and 
Hagerstown,  Md.,  where  the  Mason  and  Dixon  Line  separates 
Franklin  county,  Pa.,  from  Washington  county,  Md.,  lived  a  large 
number  of  Pennsylvania  Germans,  who  had  emigrated  thither 
from  Lancaster  county.  This  is  doubtless  the  place  visited  by 
Albright  in  the  first  year  of  his  ministry,  1796.  He  and  his 
co-laborers  were  here  entertained  by  Leonard  MiDDLEKAUFF,and 
when  the  circuit  was  established  in  18 10,  Middlekauff's  house, 
which  was  in  Maryland,  two  miles  south  of  the  line,  became  a 
regular  preaching  place.  In  18 18  he  purchased  from  the  heirs 
of  Lord  Carroll  an  estate  of  almost  1,000  acres  situated  at  the 
east  limits  of  Hagerstown.  Here  his  large  stone  mansion  became 
farm  house.  Evangelical  church,  and  parsonage  combined,  and 
remained  such  until  his  death.  Father  M.  had  a  large  family, 
some  of  whom  were  members  of  the  first  class.  Daniel  entered 
the  ministry  of  our  Church  in  1820,  traveled  three  years,  located, 
and  later  removed  to  the  West,  where  he  died.  Jacob  married 
Polly,  a  daughter  of  Philip  Breitenstein,  of  Lebanon.  The 
house  of  Jacob  also  was  a  preaching  place  for  many  years. 

The  Wingerts.  About  the  year  1800  Jacob  Wenger  (now 
Wingert)  and  Henry  Kummler  removed  from  the  Swamp,  in 
Lancaster  county,  to  Antrim  township,  Franklin  county,  Pa., 
about  three  miles  north  of  Middlekauff.    They  were  both  doubt- 

NoTES  ON  State  Line. — Leonard  Middlekauff  died  in  1851,  aged 
eighty-seven  years.  His  wife  Elizabeth,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Peter 
SCHLOSSER,  the  old  gentleman  who  disinherited  his  children  for  becoming  Evan* 
gelicals  (See  Bendersville),  died  in  1826,  aged  sixty-eight  years. 


122 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


less  well  acquainted  with  Jacob  Albright,  as  the  latter  frequently 
preached  at  the  house  of  John  Wenger,  brother  of  Jacob,  at  the 
Swamp.  Jacob  had  embraced  religion  and  forsaken  the  dead 
churches,  and  it  is  therefore  probable  that  he  opened  his  doors  to 
Albright  in  his  new  home.  He  and  H.  Kummler  joined  the 
United  Brethren,  and  both  became  prominent  ministers,  Kummler 
being  elected  bishop  in  1825. 

In  1809  Jacob  Wenger  sold  his  farm  to  his  brother  Joseph, 
who  at  once  removed  from  the  Swamp  to  this  place.  They  were 
well  acquainted  with  Albright,  and  circumstances  point  to  their 
conversion  under  his  ministry.  When  the  Franklin  Circuit  was 
established  (1810)  his  house  became  one  of  the  first  preaching 
places,  and  a  regular  appointment  was  maintained  there  until  the 
death  of  the  last  male  survivor  of  his  family,  the  late  Samuel 
WiNGERT,  Esq.,  in  1888 — seventy-eight  years  a  preaching  place! 
What  a  bright  record  the  scroll  of  eternity  will  unfold  to  the  honor 
of  this  royal  Evangelical  family. 

Joseph  Wenger  *  had  a  large  family  of  sons  and  daughters,  all 
members  of  the  Church ;  some  of  them  of  the  original  class.  A 
large  portion  of  the  estate  was  given  to  the  various  interests  of 
the  Church,  such  as  the  missionary,  educational  and  church 
building  enterprises.  The  sums  given  aggregate  many  thousand 
dollars.  It  was  the  author's  good  fortune  to  be  personally  ac- 
quainted with  the  last  survivor  of  this  royal  family,  Lvdia,  whose 
name  will  be  cherished  for  many  generations  to  come,  as  one  of 
the  last  acts  of  her  life  was  the  bestowal  of  the  munificent  gift  of 
over  |i,ooo  to  the  educational  interests  of  the  Central  Pa.  Con- 
ference. 

Another  original  appointment  of  Franklin  Circuit  was  at 
Father  Eisenberger's  in  Little  Cove,  near  Mercersburg.  This 
was  one  of  Albright's  preaching  places,  noticed  in  another  con- 
nection. A  small  class  existed  here  for  some  time,  but  was  dis- 
solved by  the  death  and  emigration  of  the  members. 

When  J.  M.  Savlor  was  appointed  to  York  Circuit,  in  the 
Spring  of  1825,  he  had  many  misgivings  as  to  the  reality  of  his 
call  to  the  ministry,  and  often  wished  for  some  special  assurance. 

♦Joseph  Wenger  died  in  1848,  in  his  seventy-fifth  year ;  his  wife  Harbara 
in  1846,  in  her  sixty-eighth  year.  Henry  Kummi-er  was  married  to  Susan,  a 
sister  of  Jacob  and  Joseph  Wenger.  The  "Social  Conference, "  which  had 
for  its  object  the  union  of  the  United  Brethren  and  the  Evangelical  Association, 
was  held  in  his  house  in  1816.  The  Evangelical  delegates  were  nil  quartered  at 
Joseph  Wenger 's. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


123 


On  a  certain  journey  to  the  upper  end  of  the  circuit,  which  then 
extended  into  Adams  county,  he  once  stopped  with  a  man  some 
distance  north  of  Gettysburg.  He  asked  permission  to  preach 
in  the  house  on  his  return,  which  was  granted.  When  he  returned 
to  fill  the  appointment,  on  a  week-day  afternoon,  he  found  the 
yard  full  of  people,  who  were  curious  to  see  and  hear  the  new 
preacher.  The  house,  however,  was  empty,  and  no  persuasion 
could  induce  the  people  to  enter.  The  remarkable  conduct  of 
the  people  can  only  be  explained  on  the  supposition  that  they 
were  afraid  of  the  magical  powers  so  generally  ascribed  to  the 
itinerant  preachers  of  that  day.  The  assembly,  however,  was 
very  orderly,  and  composed  of  the  most  respectable  people  of  that 
place,  among  whom  a  conspicuous  figure  was  a  venerable  looking 
Dunkard,  whose  long  white  beard  gave  him  a  patriarchal  appear- 
ance. Savlor  preached  from  the  doorsteps  from  the  words, 
"The  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that  which  was 
lost."  Luke  xix.  lo.  The  Lord  strengthened  His  servant,  and 
a  profound  impression  was  made  on  the  assembly.  Before  dis- 
missing them  the  preacher  said,  "Now  you  have  heard  me  and 
can  judge  whether  my  doctrine  is  true  or  not,  and  if  any  one 
desires  it,  I  will  leave  an  appointment."  The  old  Dunkard,  whose 
name  was  Mover,  then  said,  "Do  you  see  that  large  stone  house 
over  yonder?  That  is  my  place.  The  house  is  well  adapted  for 
meetings,  and  you  may  leave  an  appointment  with  me."  Then 
the  man  at  whose  house  Savlor  had  preached,  said,  "You  are 
welcome  to  leave  another  appointment  here."  Another  man 
said,  "I  live  about  three  miles  from  here,  in  a  good  neighbor- 
hood, and  if  you  give  me  an  appointment,  you  can  preach  at  my 
house,  and  I  will  make  it  known."  This  success  was  accepted 
as  a  token  from  God  to  the  young  preacher  that  he  was  called  to 
preach  the  gospel.  In  due  time  he  filled  all  the  desired  appoint- 
ments, and  a  gracious  work  of  the  Lord  begun  which  resulted  in 
the  organization  of  a  class. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


ACROSS  THE  ALLEGHENIES. 

Establishment  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in  Western 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia. 

In  Miller's  biography  of  Albright  it  is  said  that  he  visited 
Maryland  and  Virginia  as  early  as  1796,  and  that  he  was  per- 
mitted to  preach  in  churches  and  school-  and  dwelling-houses. 
After  years  of  careful  research  the  author  of  this  work  was  unable 
to  recover  definitely — with  one  exception — any  of  Albright's 
preaching  places  in  Virginia.  The  localities  visited  may,  how- 
ever, be  assumed  with  some  degree  of  certainty.  Albright 
labored  exclusively  among  the  Pennsylvania  Germans,  large  num- 
bers of  whom  had  settled  in  the  great  valley  between  the  South 
and  the  Blue  Mountains,  known  in  Pennsylvania  as  the  Cumber- 
land and  in  Virginia  as  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

A  considerable  number  of  Germans  had  settled  near  Ship- 
pensburg,  at  a  place  called  "The  Pines"* (now  Leesburg), where 
our  work  dates  prior  to  the  establishment  of  the  Franklin  Circuit 
in  1810.  About  thirty-five  miles  south  of  the  Pines,  on  the  State 
Line,  were  also  many  Germans,  nearly  all  of  whom  came  from 
Lancaster  county.  Pa.,  where  some  of  their  friends  are  known 
to  have  received  Albright.  This  serves  as  a  connecting  link. 
In  the  locality  under  consideration  Albright  was  received  by 
Leonard  Middlekauff,!  who  then  lived  several  miles  south  of 
the  State  Line,  in  Washington  county,  Md.  Others  also  doubt- 
less received  him  here,  but  their  names  are  lost. 

Following  the  great  valley  into  Virginia,  we  find  a  large  colony 
of  Germans  in  the  vicinity  of  Woodstock,  most  of  whom  were 

•See  "The  Pines,"  Franklin  Circuit. 
•j-See  "State  Line,"  Franklin  Circuit. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


125 


from  Lancaster  county,  Pa.,  and  had  settled  here  prior  to  1746.* 
This  place  was  often  visited  by  Boehm  and  Newcomer,  and  was 
also  doubtless  the  point  of  Albright's  visits.  North  of  this 
region,  in  Morgan  and  Berkley  counties,  W.  Va.,  were  also  several 
colonies  of  Germans  from  Pennsylvania  whom  Albright  visited, 
among  them  John  Snyder  and  others,  twelve  miles  east  of 
Berkley  Springs. 

In  southwestern  Pennsylvania  the  traces  of  Albright  and 
co-laborers  are  more  tangible.  Near  Mercersburg,  Pa. ,  there  is 
a  gap  in  the  Blue  Mountains,  leading  to  a  narrow  valley  called 
"Little  Cove."  Here  were  a  few  German  families  who  were 
visited  by  Albright.  The  preaching  place  was  at  G.  Eisen- 
berger's,  who  died  prior  to  1835.  His  wife  died  in  1837,  aged 
eighty-four  years.  Their  place  became  a  regular  appointment 
when  the  circuit  was  formed  in  1810.  John  Eisenberger,  their 
son,  entered  the  ministry  in  182 1. 

In  Bedford  county  Albright  met  with  considerable  success. 
On  Will's  Creek,  near  the  present  town  of  Hyndman,  lived  John 
and  Mary  Wilhelm.  Here  both  Albright  and  his  colleagues 
preached  frequently.  Wilhelm  died  in  the  early  part  of  the 
century,  but  his  widow  survived  until  1855,  and  was  a  true  mother 
in  Israel.  Their  house  was  a  preaching  place  for  nearly  half  a 
•century. 

In  Morrison's  Cove,  near  the  village  of  New  Enterprise,  a  con- 
siderable work  was  accomplished  byALBRiGHTand  his  co-laborers. 
There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  a  class  was  formed  here  prior 
to  1808.  In  1806  it  was  connected  with  Northumberland  Cir- 
-cuit,  but  was  left  unsupplied  by  Rev.  George  Miller,  owing  to 
its  great  distance.  That  Albright  and  Walter  preached  here 
during  that  year  is  proven  by  the  fact  that  the  conversion  and 
membership  of  a  number  date  to  this  period.  The  families 
who  identified  themselves  with  Albright  and  co-laborers  were 
Stoll,  Lyon,  Schnebly  (Snavely),  Muhleisen  (Milliron)  and 
Kring.  The  homes  of  all  were  preaching  places  of  Albright 
and  co-laborers  prior  to  1806,  with  perhaps  the  exception  of 
Milliron.  George  and  Catharine  Stoll  were  very  highly 
esteemed.  Their  children  were  George,  Catharine  and  Jacob, 
all  of  whom  became  members  of  the  Church  in  youth.  George 
married  Susan  Schnebly,  and  later  moved  to  Red  Bank,  Clarion 


*  Spark's  Washington,  Vol.  II.,  p.  418. 


126 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


county,  where  he  became  one  of  the  early  pillars  of  our  work. 
Catharine  married  a  Barr  and  removed  in  1830  to  Richland 
county,  O.,  where  she  died  in  1866,  aged  seventy-two  years. 
Jacob  also  removed  to  Ohio  in  1832.  His  son  John  was  for 
many  years  a  leading  minister  in  the  Ohio  Conference.  Father 
S.  died  in  Morrison's  Cove  in  the  first  quarter  of  the  century ; 
his  widow  removed  to  Ohio  with  her  children  and  died  in  Rich- 
land county  in  1854,  aged  eighty-six  years. 

Henry  Schnebly  and  wife  Elizabeth  lived  near  Stoll's, 
and  received  our  preachers  at  the  same  time.  Of  their  children, 
Rudolf,  John  Henry,  David  and  Susan  became  members  of 
the  Church.  Father  S.  died  at  an  early  day,  and  his  wife  in 
1843,  aged  seventy  years.  Susan  (Stoll),  converted  in  1806, 
died  in  1873,  aged  seventy-seven  years.  '  David  died  in  Johns- 
town, Pa.,  in  1 88 1.  John  H.  removed  across  the  Cove  Mountain 
into  the  "Dutch  Corner,"  where  for  many  years  he  was  a  promi- 
nent member.  .  He  died  in  1875. 

Philip  Muhleisen  (Milliron)  is  not  known  to  have  been 
a  professor  of  religion  in  the  time  of  Albright,  but  received 
him.  His  wife  Mary  became  a  member  in  1806.  Later  he  also 
became  a  member.  They  removed  to  Jefferson  county,  Pa., 
where  their  home  was  one  of  the  first  preaching  places.  Father 
M.  died  in  1837,  aged  eighty- two  years,  and  his  widow  in  1852 
at  a  very  advanced  age.  Their  son  Abraham  was  a  member  in 
the  early  days,  and  was  for  many  years  a  pillar  on  the  Indiana 
Circuit.  Of  the  family  named  Lyon  we  have  not  been  able  to 
gain  any  particulars. 

George  Kring  and  wife  Magdalena  became  members  of  the 
Church  in  Morrison's  Cove  in  1806,  and  the  same  year  removed 
across  the  mountain  into  Cambria  county,  about  ten  miles  east 
of  Johnstown,  to  a  place  now  called  Elton,  in  a  region  then  very 
sparsely  settled.  Into  this  wild,  mountainous  region  Albright 
and  Walter  followed  Kring  and  laid  the  foundation  of  our  work 
west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains.  The  following  year  Albright 
and  Walter  established  several  new  preaching  places  in  the 
vicinity,  but  no  organization  was  effected,  and  after  Albright's 
death  but  little  more  was  accomplished  until  the  advent  of  Dreis- 
BACH  and  Hennig,  in  1813.  Kring's  place  was  for  many  years- 
one  of  the  chief  points  of  the  Association.  His  son  Conrad- 
entered  the  ministry  in  1823,  and  for  nearly  half  a  century  bore 
the  hardships  of  an  itinerant  life,  and  had  a  worthy  successor 


TEE  EARLY  BAYS. 


127 


in  his  son,  S.  B.  Krinc*  George  Kring  died  in  1844,  aged 
seventy-eight  years  ;  his  wife  died  in  1853,  aged  eighty-three  years. 

About  four  miles  from  Kring  lived  Jacob  Stoll  (a  brother 
of  George  Stoll,  of  Morrison's  Cove,)  and  wife  Catharine. 
Their  house  became  a  preaching  place,  and  both  Albright  and 
Walter  are  known  to  have  preached  here.  Jacob  Stoll  never 
united  with  the  church,  but  his  wife  and  entire  family  did  at  a 
later  day.  Stoll  died  in  1832.  His  widow  survived  many  years. 
The  reader  will  find  more  particulars  of  this  family  farther  on. 

About  1807  John  Walter  began  to  preach  some  miles  north 
of  Kring's  at  Wilmore.  It  is  probable  that  Albright  also  vis- 
ited this  place.  Nicholas  Varner  lived  four  miles  northeast 
of  Johnstown,  on  the  Frankstown  Road.  His  son  John,  hearing 
that  a  strange  preacher  was  to  preach  at  Wilmore  at  a  certain 
time,  went  to  hear  him.  The  preacher  was  the  noted  John 
Walter.  The  sermon  had  a  remarkable  effect  upon  the  young 
man,  who  reported  to  his  parents  that  he  had  heard  "a  wonderful 
sermon,  by  a  wonderful  man,  which  made  his  hair  stand  up." 
This  pleased  his  father  very  much,  and  he  told  his  son  that  the 
next  time  he  heard  the  man  he  should  invite  him  down  to  preach 
at  his  house  also.  The  next  time  Walter  crossed  the  mountains 
young  John  Varner  and  his  mother  rode  to  Wilmore  to  hear  him, 
and  invited  him  -to  preach  at  their  house,  which  he  did,  and  the 
place  became  a  regular  appointment.  Albright  preached  here 
but  once. 

Walter's  Beautiful  Hymn.  Most  every  member  of  the 
Church  who  has  any  knowledge  of  the  German  language  is  famil- 
iar with  the  hymn  beginning,  Kof/imi,  Brucdcr,  Ko7nmt,  wir 
eilen  fort.  This  beautiful  hymn  was  written  by  John  Walter, 
Albright's  first  co-laborer,  some  time  prior  to  1810,  and  is  still 
very  popular  among  the  Pennsylvania  Germans.  The  following 
account  of  its  origin  the  author  obtained  from  Rev.  J.  M.  Saylor: 

"When  I  was  presiding  elder  of  Salem  District  (1833)  I  was 
once  brought  across  the  mountains  by  Father  Kring.  When  we 
came  to  a  certain  place  he  said  to  me,  *  Here,  Brother  Saylor, 
is  where  Brother  Walter  composed  the  hymn,  Kommt,  Brueder, 
Kommt,  wir  eilen  fort.'"  and  them  related  the  circumstances  as 

*It  is  worthy  of  record  that  Savilla,  daughter  of  Rev.  S.  B.  Kring,  and 
great-granddaughter  of  George  Kring,  became  noted  as  the  first  female  evan- 
gelist in  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  scores  of  souls  were  saved  through  her 
labors.    She  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  C.  C.  Poling,  of  the  Oregon  Conference. 


128  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


follows :  "Some  time  after  Kring  moved  across  the  mountains 
(1806)  Walter  had  an  appointment  to  preach  there.  Kring 
had  gone  to  a  neighboring  appointment  and  then  piloted  Walter 
across  the  mountains.  A  very  deep  snow  had  fallen,  and  Kring 
took  the  lead  to  break  a  path.  After  proceeding  in  this  way  for 
some  time  Walter  called  out,  'Brother  Kring,  I  have  composed 
a  verse,'  whereupon  he  repeated  the  first  stanza  of  the  famous 
hymn.  Kring  commended  it  and  encouraged  him  to  go  on. 
Soon  the  second  stanza  followed,  and  so  on  until  he  had  com- 
pleted the  ten  four-line  stanzas  of  this  grand  hymn  which  has 
thrilled  and  cheered  the  hosts  of  our  Israel  for  almost  a  century. 
When  they  arrived  at  Kring's  house  writing  materials  were  fur- 
nished and  the  hymn  was  committed  to  paper." 

Organization  of  Work  West  of  the  Alleghenies.  In 
the  Spring  of  1 8 1 3  the  conference  took  steps  to  follow  up  the  work 
begun  by  Albright  and  colleagues  in  western  Pennsylvania. 
Accordingly  D.  Yearlitz  and  John  Klinefelter  were  sent  to 
explore  the  region  east  of  the  mountains  in  Huntingdon  and  Bed- 
ford counties,  and  John  Dreisbach  and  Adam  Hennig  were 
sent  west  of  the  mountains.  The  charges  were  named  respectively 
Bedford  and  Somerset  Circuits.  In  Huntingdon  county  no  good 
foothold  was  obtained,  and  in  the  course  of  some  years  the  work 
was  discontinued  entirely. 

Bedford  County.  The  Evangelical  work  was  established 
in  Bedford  county  by  Albright  and  co-laborers.  A  small  class 
existed  as  early  as  1806  in  Morrison's  Cove.  Here  lived  the 
Stulls,  Krings,  Schneblys,  Millirons  and  others.  The  mis- 
sionaries D.  Yerlitz  and  John  Klinefelter  met  with  consid- 
erable success  in  18 13  and  organized  several  classes,  one  near 
Bedford,  of  which  Jacob  Eck  was  leader,  another  in  the  vicinity 
of  Williamsburg,  John  Rickel(i),  leader.  Other  preaching  places 
were  at  the  homes  of  George  Cook,  F.  Rishel,  Henry  Hart- 
man,  John  Long  (near  Wellersburg),  J.  Hartfr,  John  Bowser, 
John  Heltzel,  M.  Nichols,  Peter  Stiffler  (2)  and  John 

Notes. — (l)  John  Rickel  entered  the  ministry  in  1816,  traveled  a  number 
of  years,  removed  to  West  Salem,  Wayne  county,  O.,  where  he  died  in  1859. 
His  wife  (second)  died  in  1879.  She  was  converted  under  Albright  at  the 
Millbach,  Lebanon  county,  Pa.,  in  1806. 

(2)  Peter  Stiffler  lived  three  miles  west  of  Newry,  Blair  county.  It  is 
thought  that  he  was  visited  by  Albright  and  colleagues.  His  house  became 
a  regular  preaching  place  in  1813.  He  died  in  1855.  His  granddaughter 
became  the  wife  of  Rev.  I.  A.  Rohland,  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference. 


THE  EARL7  DATS. 


129 


WiLHELM,  the  latter  on  Will's  Creek,  near  the  present  town  of 
Hyndman.  As  elsewhere  noticed,  Albright  established  the 
appointment  as  early  as  1805.  The  first  members  in  the 
"Dutch  Comer"  were  the  Rickels,  Heltzels,  Schneblys  and 
Earnsts  (3). 

Somerset  County.  The  first  revival  under  the  labors  of 
the  missionaries  in  1813  is  thus  described  by  Adam  Hennig: 
"In  July  Brother  Dreisbach  returned  home  because  of  family 
circumstances  and  I  was  left  for  a  time  alone,  during  which  time 
I  preached  one  Sunday  in  a  bam  six  or  seven  miles  east  of 
Stoyestown,  where  the  power  of  God  was  revealed  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  many  fell  on  their  knees  and  began  to  plead  earnestly 
for  mercy.  The  same  evening  a  number  experienced  salvation, 
whereupon  I  organized  a  class  of  twelve  members"  (^Chr.  Bot- 
schafter,  1844,  page  39).  Of  this  class  a  youth  named  Jacob 
Paul  was  made  leader.  His  father  had  died  a  short  time  before, 
and  he  and  his  mother  were  left  to  care  for  themselves.  Although 
but  fifteen  years  of  age  when  he  became  class-leader,  he  was  far 
in  advance  of  his  years.  A  few  years  later  he  was  licensed  as  a 
local  preacher  and  became  a  strong  pillar  in  the  society.  About 
the  middle  of  the  century  he  removed  to  Tazwell  county.  111., 
where  he  died  March  12,  1868,  aged  seventy-one  years.  Among 
other  members  of  this  first  class  were  Brothers  Joseph  and  Peter 
Bowman.  The  latter  was  the  grandfather  of  Rev.  H.  J.  Bowman, 
a  prominent  minister  of  the  Church.  Their  homes  were  of  the 
first  preaching  places,  and  in  later  years  many  camp-meetings 
were  held  on  their  farms.  J.  Metzler  and  wife  Sarah  and 
Christian  Bover  and  wife  were  also  of  the  first. 

Soon  after  the  ingathering  near  Stoyestown  similar  revivals 
took  place  in  the  vicinity  of  Somerset,  Laurel  Hill  and  Brother's 
Valley,  and  classes  were  formed  at  the  latter  two  places.  Henry 
WiEAND  (i)  became  the  leader  of  the  Laurel  Hill  and  Henry 
Meyer  (2)  of  the  Brother's  Valley  Class.  Other  leading  mem- 
bers who  were  of  the  first  in  the  neighborhood  of  Somerset  and 


(3)  The  fiist  church  erected  on  the  old  missionary  field  was  in  the  Sill  and 
Earnst  neighborhood,  and  was  dedicated  Nov.  28,  1841. 

Notes. — (i)  Henry  Weand,  and  wife  Catharine,  were  converted  in 
1813.  He  became  a  minister  in  1817.  Both  died  in  1854,  aged  seventy-two 
and  sixty-eight  years  respectively. 

(2)  Henry  Meyer  became  a  minister  in  1816,  and  died  in  1882. 


130  BVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNAL8. 


Stoyestown  were  Samuel  Witt  (3)  and  wife  Catharine,  Conrad 
Zimmerman  and  wife  Maria,  Fred.  Wegley  and  wife  Catharine, 
John  Emmert  and  wife  Susan,  Christian  Emmert  and  wife 
Catharine,  John  Cobaugh  and  wife,  John  Hager  (4)  and  wife 
and  Daniel  Lichty  and  wife.  These  people,  with  perhaps  one 
or  two  exceptions,  opened  their  houses  as  preaching  places. 
Lichty's,  especially,  became  a  prominent  place,  and  a  church 
was  erected  here  in  1848. 

Mention  should  also  be  made  of  John  Puttman,  who  lived  in 
the  "Glades; "  also  of  John  Harbach  and  wife  Susan.  Harbach 
at  an  early  day  removed  to  West  Salem,  O.,  where  his  house 
became  a  very  important  appointment.  He  was  a  liberal  and 
noble-hearted  man,  and  one  of  the  chief  supports  of  the  work  in 
Ohio.  He  died  in  1854,  aged  seventy-six  years,  and  his  wife  in 
1874,  aged  ninety-one  years. 

Martin  Fichtner  (5)  and  wife  Susan,  in  the  town  of  Berlin, 
were  the  first  to  receive  the  Evangelical  preachers  in  that  place 
in  1813.  A  class  was  formed  here  in  after  years,  and  the  first 
Evangelical  Church  in  Somerset  county  was  erected  here  and 
dedicated  Nov.  20,  1842. 

Great  Revival.  About  1830-32  there  was  an  extensive 
ingathering  of  souls  in  Somerset  county.  Prominent  among  the 
converts  were  John  Ferner  and  wife  Susanna,  and  Abraham 
Ferner  and  wife  Barbara.  Their  houses  became  preaching 
places,  and  many  very  successful  camp-meetings  were  held  on 
their  land.  At  the  house  of  John  Ferner  the  special  General 
Conference  was  held  in  1836,  at  which  time  the  printing  estab- 
lishment was  revived.  John  Ferner  died  in  1848,  aged  seventy- 
three  years.  Abraham  Ferner  later  removed  to  Fairfield  county, 
Ohio,  where  he  died  in  185 1,  aged  sixty-four  years,    A  daughter 

(3)  Samuel  Witt  entered  the  active  ministry  in  1818,  traveled  several  years^ 
located  because  of  failing  health,  died  in  Somerset  in  1842,  aged  fifty-two  years. 
His  wife  Catharine  died  in  187 1,  aged  eighty-two  years. 

(4)  John  Hager  lived  near  Stoyestown.  His  house  was  a  preaching  place 
for  many  years.  In  1846  Moses  Bower,  presiding  elder  of  Potomac  District, 
died  of  pneumonia  at  his  house.  A  memorial  church  was  erected  here  in  his 
memory  and  dedicated  Oct.  29,  1882. 

(5)  Their  son.  Dr.  Daniel  Fichtner,  became  a  local  preacher  in  1832, 
and  was  for  many  years  a  prominent  man  in  the  Church.  In  1835  he  was  married 
to  Rebecca,  daughter  of  John  Ferner,  In  1855,  he  removed  to  Cranesville, 
W.  Va.,  where  he  was  instrumental  in  establishing  an  Evangelical  society.  He 
died  in  1884. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


131 


was  the  wife  of  Rev.  J.  G.  Zinzer.  Ulrick,  Samuel,  and 
Rudolf  Ellenberger  also  at  this  time  united  with  the  Church 
and  became  pillars  therein.  The  latter  was  the  father  of  Revs. 
G.  W.  and  D.  P.  Elllenberger.  Nathan  Long  and  family 
also  became  members  at  this  time.  A  daughter,  Barbara,  mar- 
ried Michael  Baumgardner,  whose  five  sons  became  preachers. 
Daniel  Long,  a  son  of  Nathan,  entered  the  ministry  in  1835, 
and  became  prominent.  He  removed  to  Fayette  county,  where 
his  house  became  a  preaching  place.  Here  he  died  in  1852, 
aged  sixty-two  years.  Joseph  Brubaker  was  also  one  of  the 
fruits  of  this  ingathering,  and  became  a  pillar  and  great  support. 
When  he  was  taunted  by  the  formalists  that  the  Evangelicals 
would  "eat  him  out  of  house  and  home,"  he  was  wont  to  say 
that  the  more  he  did  for  them,  the  more  the  Lord  did  for  him. 
When  requested  to  "take"  the  camp-meeting,  he  made  it  a  sub- 
ject of  prayer,  and  requested  the  Lord  to  indicate  to  him  what 
course  he  should  pursue.  He  opened  his  Bible  at  random  and 
his  eyes  fell  on  the  words,  "Now  faith  is  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,"  etc.  This  he  took  as  an  indication  that  he  should 
take  the  camp-meeting,  and  accordingly  prepared  his  grove  at 
his  own  expense.  Here  for  many  years  the  Evangelical  hosts 
met  in  battle  array  against  the  enemy  of  souls  and  great  numbers 
were  converted,  many  of  whom  in  after  years  became  ministers. 
Jacob  Sheaffer,  a  wealthy  and  influential  man  near  Stoyestown, 
became  a  member  about  1830.  His  was  also  a  preaching  and 
camp-meeting  place  for  many  years.  A  daughter  became  the 
wife  of  Rev.  S,  G.  Miller. 

John  Seybert's  Work.  There  has  perhaps  been  no  more 
eventful  period  in  the  history  of  the  Evangelical  work  in  Somerset 
county  than  1829-30.  John  Sevbert  was  presiding  elder  of  the 
work  in  western  Pennsylvania  at  this  time.  Some  of  the  great  revi- 
vals of  this  period  are  directly  traceable  to  his  quarterly  meetings, 
which  to  him  were  not  successful  unless  souls  were  saved.  In 
August,  1830,  he  held  a  quarterly  meeting  in  the  bam  of  Simon 
Hangen,  near  Gebhartsville,  which  was  accompanied  by  won- 
derful displays  of  the  power  of  God,  and  a  very  large  number 
were  saved.  A  strong  class  was  organized,  of  which  Daniel 
Hangen  was  leader.  The  regular  preaching  places  were  at 
Daniel  Hangen's  and  his  brother  Simon's  (father  of  Rev.  John 
Hangen)  and  at  Frederick  Cupp's,  (father  of  Revs.  G.  W.  and 
A.  Y.  Cupp). 


132 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Cambria  County.  The  Evangelical  work  was  establisned 
west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains  in  Cambria  county  by  Al- 
bright and  his  collegues,  but  no  organization  was  effected. 
Owing  to  its  isolation  the  region  was  visited  irregularly  until  the 
establishment  of  the  circuit  in  1 8 1 3.  The  appointments  established 
by  Albright  and  Walter  in  the  vicinity  of  Johnstown,  at  Kring's, 
Stull's  and  Varner's,  were  maintained.  The  Cambria  Class  was 
organized  sometime  in  18 14.  Following  is  a  list  of  the  original 
members,  although  several  whose  names  are  given  may  have 
became  members  a  few  years  later :  George  Kring  and  wife 
Magdalena  and  their  children:  (i)  Conrad,  Jacob,  Henry, 
John  and  Catharine  (B.\umgardner),  Elizabeth  Stull  and 
son  (2)  John,  Elizabeth  Baumgardner  and  son  Jacob  (3)  and 
daughter  Elizabeth.  Jacob  Fye  and  wife  Peggy  and  son  Jacob 
(4)  Conrad  Fye  (leader)  and  wife  Lizzie  and  son  Conr.\d,  Jr. 
Also  several  of  the  Varners  near  Johnstown,  and  A.  Peters 
and  wife  of  Stoney  Creek.  In  later  years  the  Donmyers  and 
Hershbergers  were  added  and  became  pillars  in  the  society. 

The  first  Evangelical  camp-meeting  in  Cambria  county  was 
held  on  the  land  of  Father  Kring  in  1824,  and  thereafter  for 
many  years,  on  the  land  of  Mother  Eliz.\beth  Stull. 

Fayette  Coutlty.  In  1813  the  Evangelical  missionaries 
gained  entrance  on  Indian  Creek  and  in  Salt  Lake  township. 
The  principal  preaching  places  were  at  the  houses  of  James  Ful- 
ton, Daniel  Senff,  Abraham  Davis  and  J.  Bernd.  A  camp- 
meeting  was  held  on  the  land  of  the  latter  in  the  Spring  of  1822, 
at  which  time  he  died  on  the  camp-ground  at  the  age  of  63  years. 

The  first  church  of  the  Ev.  Association  in  Fayette  county  was 
erected  in  1847. 

The  Evangelical  preachers  gradually  pushed  their  way  north- 
westward to  the  head  waters  of  the  Susquehanna  river.  In  1822 
Jacob  Baumgardner  and  his  colleague,  Joseph  Long,  (after- 
wards Bishop)  visited  the  German  settlements  of  Indiana  county. 
In  Brush  Valley  lived  a  large  number  who  had  emigrated  thither 
from  York  county.  Among  them  were  the  families  Bowmaster, 
Enders,  Frey,  Miller,  and  Oberdorf.  A  number  of  them  had 
been  converted  and  brought  into  the  society  through  the  first 
Evangelical  preachers  in  York  county,  in  i8io.  (See  Freysville.) 
A  considerable  revival  took  place  in  Brush  Valley  under  the  labors 
of  Baumgardner  and  Long,  and  a  class  was  formed  at  Mechan- 
icsburg.    In  the  early  days  Brush  Valley  was  famous  for  its 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


133 


camp-meetings  which  were  mostly  held  on  tne  land  of  John 
Oberdorf.  At  one  of  these  meetings,  in  1840,  over  forty  souls 
were  converted,  among  whom  was  Joseph  Truby,  (i)  who  be- 
came a  minister  the  following  year. 

In  the  first  quarter  of  the  century  the  Evangelical  preachers 
also  found  open  doors  in  Westmoreland  county.  The  chief 
appointments  were  in  Ligonier  Valley,  near  Donegal  and  West 
Newton.  The  house  of  Jacob  Dietz  was  one  of  the  first  preach- 
ing places  and  Evangelical  headquarters  for  the  valley  for  many 
years.  The  work  was  also  established  in  the  counties  of  Mercer, 
Clarion,  Armstrong,  Clearfield,  Venango,  and  Jefferson,  prior 
to  1835.    This  entire  region  was  constituted  a  field  of  labor  in 

1832,  and  called  Indiana  Circuit.  This  great  charge,  extending 
over  a  half  dozen  counties  in  a  mountainous  region  was  one  of 
the  most  extensive  and  difficult  fields  to  travel  within  the  bounds 
of  the  Church. 

Several  preaching  places  in  Mercer  county  have  already  been 
noted  in  connection  with  John  Sevbert's  missionary  labors  in 

1833.  In  Rockland  the  chief  point  was  the  house  of  Mathias 
DoMER,  father  of  Rev.  G.  S.  Domer,  and  Rev.  J.  D.  Domer, 
and  grandfather  of  Bishop  W.  M.  Stanford. 

In  Clarion  county  a  chief  appointment  was  near  Shippens- 
ville.  Andrew  Weaver  and  John  Alsbach  (2)  were  of  the 
first  to  receive  the  preachers.  Camp-meetings  were  held  on  their 
lands  for  many  years. 

In  Armstrong  county  two  of  the  chief  places  were  Henry 
Shaffner's,  in  Red  Bank  township,  and  John  Fleisher's.  (3) 
In  1837  camp-meeting  was  held  on  Shaffner's  place,  and  many 
times  thereafter.    The  first  camp  was  held  at  Fleisher's  in  1839. 

In  Clearfield  county  the  chief  appointment  was  at  or  near 
Bumside.  In  Venango  county,  the  home  of  Samuel  Dreibel- 
Bis,  Esq.,  was  an  important  place  in  the  early  days,  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  Agnew's  Mills  a  good  work  was  established. 

In  Jefferson  county  Abraham  Milliron's(4)  place  was  an  im- 

Biographical  Notes. — (i)  Joseph  Truby  entered  the  active  ministry  in 
1841,  and  became  a  very  successful  preacher.    He  died  in  1856. 

(2)  John  Alsbach,  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  old  Indiana  Circuit,  died  in  1850. 

(3)  John  Fleisher  was  converted  in  Dauphin  county  under  the  preaching 
of  Albright,  in  1805.  See  his  interesting  letter  in  Chapter  II.,  paragraph 
"  Hanover. ' ' 

(4)  The  parents  of  Abraham  Milhron  received  Albright  in  Bedford  county, 
in  1805-7.    See  "  Morrison's  Cove."    He  died  in  1851,  aged  sixty-three  years. 


134  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


portant  point.  The  first  camp-meeting  of  the  church  in  Jefferson 
county  was  held  on  his  place  in  1835,  and  many  others  after- 
wards. In  the  vicinity  of  Brookville,  Punxsutawney  and  Sum- 
merville  societies  were  established. 

Old-time  Circuit  mdlug.  The  following  account  of  the 
appointments  on  Somerset  Circuit  in  1832,  when  it  embraced  all 
the  missionary  territory  of  18 13,  is  from  the  pen  of  Joseph  Har- 
LACHER,  who  began  his  ministry  there  that  year,  with  Daniel 
Kehr  as  his  senior  colleague.  He  says  :  "  I  commenced  in  the 
Conemaugh  neighborhood,  about  ten  miles  east  of  Johnstown. 
Here  lived  George  Kring,  father  of  Conrad  Kring,  who  was 
an  itinerant  preacher,  and  several  families  named  Stull  and 
Baumgardner.  Samuel  Baumgardner,  who  started  in  the 
ministry  with  me,  was  born  here.  From  here  we  went  into 
Somerset  county,  in  the  neighborhood  of  A.  Ferner.  We 
preached  in  houses  of  John  Emmert,  J.  Metzler,  Ellenberger, 
John  Cobaugh,  etc.  From  here  I  crossed  the  Laurel  Hill  into 
Fayette  county,  and  preached  at  the  houses  of  Abraham  Davis, 
Kahler,  William  Senff,  and  others.  Then  in  a  southern  direc- 
tion back  over  the  Laurel  Hill  to  H.  Weand,  Daniel  Hangen, 
and  Nathan  Long.  This  man  was  not  yet  converted,  but  he 
and  his  son  (Daniel)*  were  converted  this  year,  and  the  son 
afterwards  became  a  preacher.  (1835.  See  biography. )  From 
here  to  Widow  Movers  (of  Rev.  Henry  Meyers),  then  to  Father 
Smith,  then  to  Somerset,  to  Samuel  Witt,  who  was  a  local 
preacher,  and  was  at  this  time  sheriff.  Then  north  (of  Somerset) 
to  D.  LiCHTv's,  and  (Rev.  Jacob)  Paul's,  etc.  (N.  E.  of  Stoyes- 
town).  My  next  trip  led  me  east  over  the  Allegheny  and  Cove 
Mountains,  into  Bedford  county,  when  I  preached  at  the  house 
of  a  Stull,  (Morrison's  Cove.)  Then  towards  the  city  of  Bed- 
ford to  M.  Nichols,  and  John  Heltzel's  (Dutch  Comer). 
From  here  south  through  Bedford,  down  the  Cumberland  Valley 
road  (fifteen  to  twenty  miles  south  of  Bsdford)  to  H.  Hartman's. 
Then  westward  in  different  houses  of  Wilhelm's,  (on  Wills 
Creek,  near  Hyndman)  J.  Harter's  John  Bowser's  and  then 
again  across  the  Allegheny  to  Fichtner's  (Martin  Fichtner's, 
at  Berlin),  and  Mover's,  and  several  other  places.  We  also 
had  a  preaching  place  near  Stoyestown  by  a  man  named  (Jacob) 
Shaeffer,  and  others,  (Peter,  and  Joseph  Bowman).    Then  to 


•  Notes  in  brackets  by  the  Author. 


THE  EARLY  DAFS. 


135 


John  Emmert's,  where  my  colleague  and  I  met  to  exchange 
appointments.  In  one  round  I  had  to  preach  in  four  counties. 
We  had  thirty-two  preaching  places,  all  in  private  houses  except 
one,  which  was  in  a  school-house.  I  had  to  preach  every  even- 
ing in  the  week  except  Saturday,  and  sometimes  then  also,  and 
twice  on  Sunday.  In  August,  1832,  I  traveled  on  horseback  274 
miles  and  preached  thirty-three  times.  The  first  twelve  months 
of  my  itineracy  I  rode  on  horseback  3,300  miles." 

Development  of  Work  In  Virginia.  In  18 15  Thomas 
Bruer,  and  J.  Dehoff,  who  served  Franklin  Circuit,  which 
embraced  the  work  in  Western  Maryland,  extended  the  field  into 
Morgan  and  Berkley  counties,  (now)  W.  Va.  In  i8i5-i6a 
class  was  formed  on  Timber  Ridge,  Morgan  county.  Here  lived 
Adam  Hinkel  and  wife  Christina.  They,  with  their  family, 
became  members  at  this  time,  and  one  of  the  daughters  became 
the  wife  of  Thomas  Bruer.  Adam  Borer  and  John  Yost  and 
families  were  also  members,  and  their  houses  were  preaching 
places.  Twelve  miles  east  of  Berkley  Springs  a  small  class  was 
formed  of  which  the  principal  member  was  John  Snyder.  An- 
other class  was  formed  on  Back  Creek,  where  lived  Jacob  Shimp, 
an  excellent  man,  strong  in  prayer,  and  a  fine  singer.  In  1834 
he  entered  the  ministry  and  traveled  a  number  of  years.  He 
died  in  1870,  aged  seventy-six  years.  Along  Sleepy  Creek  a 
class  was  formed.  The  principal  members  were  Daniel  Cough- 
ENOUR,  J.  Reser,  Father  Nichols,  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  and 
Nicholas  Caw,  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  18 12.  The  house  of  the 
latter  was  for  many  years  a  preaching  place,  as  was  also  that  of 
Jacob  Kerper,  who,  with  his  family,  were  excellent  members.  In 
181 7  the  work  in  Virginia  was  detached  from  Franklin  Circuit  and 
constituted  Berkley  Circuit.  Little  progress  was  made  for  some 
years  after  this,  and  in  1823  it  was  served  by  Joseph  Long  and  J. 
C.  Reisner  in  connection  with  Franklin  Circuit.  The  charge  was 
called  Franklin  and  Berkley  Circuit  until  1830,  when  it  was  again 
divided.  In  1834  the  name  was  changed  to  Shenandoah  Circuit. 
In  1826-27  John  Hamilton  greatly  extended  the  work  in  Fred- 
ick,  Shenandoah  and  Hardy  counties.  About  1830  our  preachers 
met  with  considerable  success  near  Woodstock,  Shenandoah 
county.  The  men  who  received  them  were  W.  Funkhouser, 
William  and  Larry  W.  Seibert.  A  few  years  later  two  sons 
of  the  latter,  James  L.  W.  and  Samuel  W.  Seibert  entered  the 
ministry  and  became  prominent.    In  Cedar  Creek  Valley  there 


136  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


was  a  class,  and  in  Trout  Run  Valley,  Hardy  county,  two  classes 
were  formed.  Prominent  members  were  William  Sager  (father 
of  Rev.  George  Sager),  and  Abraham,  Jacob  and  John  Heigh- 
MAN,  the  former  of  whom  became  a  local  preacher. 

In  Quaker  Hollow,  Hampshire  county,  a  good  class  was 
formed,  whose  leading  members  were  George  Wolf,  Enoch 
Parks  and  Jonathan  Pownell,  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812.* 
At  Tare  Coat,  five  miles  from  Romney,  another  class  was  formed. 
Leading  men,  H.  Haines,  J.  Shinkelton  and  Father  Poling, 
whose  two  sons,  William  and  Daniel,  became  ministers,  the 
latter  being  the  father  of  Rev.  C.  C.  Poling,  of  the  Oregon 
Conference. 

In  the  proceedings  of  the  West  Pa.  Conference  for  1839  and 
1840,  the  work  once  so  promising  in  Virginia  does  not  appear 
on  the  published  records,  but  was  nevertheless  served  by  D.  N. 
Long.  In  1841  it  appears  again  as  Virginia  Circuit,  with  M. 
Bower  as  preacher,  who  served  it  two  years ;  1843,  D.  N.  Long; 
1844,  J,  Shimp  and  N.  Schlosser;  1845,  N.  Schlosser  and  W. 
Plannett;  1846,  Geo.  Cupp  and  C.  Miller;  1847,  D.  N.  Long 
and  C.  Miller;  1848,  W.  B.  Gregg  and  Geo.  Hunter.  In 
1849  the  work  was  again  divided  and  called  Morgan,  and  Shen- 
andoah Circuit.  Chas.  Miller  was  appointed  to  the  former, 
and  W.  B.  Gregg  to  the  latter  field.  In  1850  Preston  Circuit 
was  formed. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  had  an  immediate  and 
disastrous  effect  on  the  interests  of  our  Church  in  Virginia,  as 
the  sections  embraced  by  the  fields  of  labor  became  the  scene  of 
the  early  conflicts  in  1861.  At  the  conference  session  of  1861, 
Shenandoah  Circuit,  once  so  prosperous,  was  abandoned,  and 
Morgan  and  Preston  Circuits  were  consolidated  and  left  for  the 
presiding  elder  to  supply,  if  possible.  In  1862  it  was  supplied 
by  conference,  but  not  in  1863,  '64  and  '65.  In  1866  Morgan 
and  Preston  Circuits  were  again  separately  supplied.  Since  then 
the  work  has  recovered  somewhat  in  Virginia. 

*  Bro.  Pownell  died  in  1878,  aged  ninety-four  years.  Our  preachers  vis- 
ited him  as  early  as  1818. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


PUSHING  WESTWARD. 

The  Evangelical  Work  Established  in  Ohio  bv  Hennig, 
Shower,  the  Klinefelters  and  Others — First  Preach- 
ing Places — The  Laity. 

Work  in  Ohio.  The  Evangelical  work  in  Ohio  and  the 
more  distant  West  is  the  result  of  a  true  missionary  spirit  in  the 
Association  when  it  was  still  in  its  infancy.  Thither  the  sturdy 
Pennsylvanians  flocked  by  thousands  in  quest  of  new  homes, 
many  of  whom  were  members  of  the  Association.  These  early 
members  had  a  great  desire  that  the  Evangelical  preachers  should 
follow  them,  a  wish  which  their  friends  in  the  East  were  equally 
desirous  of  gratifying.  This  was  especially  the  case  with  Abra- 
ham Ever,  of  Dry  Valley,  Pa.,  who  had  a  special  interest  in 
Ohio.  In  1806  two  of  his  sons-in-law,  Philip  and  Daniel  Hoy, 
removed  thither,  and  their  wives  were  the  first  members  of  the 
society  in  that  State.  In  18 10  another  son-in-law,  Martin 
Dreisbach,  removed  thither  also.  In  June,  181 6,  the  conference 
was  held  at  the  house  of  Father  Ever.  His  sons-in-law.  Revs. 
John  Dreisbach  and  Henry  Niebel,  were  then  the  leading  men 
of  the  Church.  The  former  was  president  and  the  latter  secre- 
tary of  the  conference.  After  a  full  discussion,  it  was  decided 
to  send  two  men  to  Ohio,  and  Abam  Hennig  and  Fred.  Shower 
were  chosen  for  the  work.  They  were  both  young  and  vigorous, 
and  the  Church  had  every  reason  to  anticipate  that  the  under- 
taking would  be  successful.  To  Hennig  was  assigned  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  State,  while  Shower  was  directed  to  labor  in  the 
interior.  As  churches  were  then  almost  unknown  in  the  western 
wilds,  the  pioneers  dedicated  their  houses  to  the  service  of  God 
as  preaching  places. 


138 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Canton  Circuit.  Immediately  after  his  appointment  as 
missionary  to  Ohio,  Adam  Hennic,  after  visiting  his  parents  in 
Penn's  Valley,  Pa.,  returned  to  Bedford  county,  where  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Catharine  Rishel,  whose  parents  were 
among  the  first  to  receive  him  when  he  was  sent  across  the  AUe- 
ghenies  as  missionary  in  1813.  His  journey  to  Ohio  and  his 
commencement  of  the  work  there  is  thus  described  by  himself 
in  a  letter  dated  Bristol,  O.,  July  2,  1844: 

"In  June,  1816,  I  took  my  departure  from  Bedford,  Pa.,  and 
traveled  by  way  of  Washington  and  Wheeling  to  Charleston, 
Va.  (now  West  Virginia).  Here  I  crossed  the  Ohio  River,  and 
by  way  of  Mt.  Pleasant  and  Cadiz,  arrived  at  New  Philadelphia, 
O.  About  eight  miles  northwest  from  here  I  met  a  family  of 
friends  from  Pennsylvania  who  had  arrived  the  day  before,  and 
our  meeting  afforded  us  mutual  joy.  An  appointment  for  me  to 
preach  was  immediately  circulated,  and  that  evening  I  preached 
my  introductory  sermon  in  a  little  log  house  (text:  I.  Pet.  iv.  8) 
to  a  number  of  orderly  and  attentive  people,  who  all  seemed  glad 
to  hear  the  Gospel  in  the  German  language.  The  blessing  of 
God  was  with  us.  Encouraged  by  these  promising  circumstances, 
I  concluded  to  establish  my  field  of  labor  from  this  point,  and 
traveled  from  here  to  Wooster  and  Mansfield.  From  here  I 
turned  and  traveled  to  Canton  and  New  Lisbon,  and  thence  back 
again  to  New  Philadelphia.  In  a  short  time  I  had  formed  a 
great  circuit,  about  400  miles  around,  and  consisting  of  thirty 
to  forty  appointments.  Open  doors  and  hearts  I  found  every- 
where, and  soon  there  was  a  general  inquiry  awakened  'What 
must  we  do  to  be  saved?" 

"Already  in  the  Autumn  of  this  year  I  began  the  formation 
of  classes,  and  by  the  next  conference  session  I  had  taken  up 
from  sixty  to  seventy  members.  No  one,  however,  can  imagine 
the  discomforts  which  the  new  settlers  and  the  preachers  who 
traveled  among  them  endured.  I  will  not  easily  forget  the  heavy 
and  toilsome  journeys  which  I  was  compelled  to  make  on  my 
extensive  circuit.  Many  days  from  one  appointment  to  the  other 
I  had  no  better  road  than  narrow  and  obscure  Indian  trails.  And 
many  roads  in  general  led  through  swamps  and  deep  morasses, 
where  both  man  and  beast  were  often  imperiled.  But  few  bridges 
had  then  been  built,  and  more  than  once  I  was  thoroughly 
drenched  by  the  swollen  streams,  which  I  ventured  to  cross  by 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


139 


swimming  my  horse,  at  the  risk  of  my  life.  Still  a  merciful 
Providence  preserved  me. 

"Some  of  the  friends  who  entertained  me  had  but  recently 
moved  into  the  forest  and  had  neither  field,  stable  nor  provender, 
so  that  I  was  often  necessitated  to  put  a  bell  to  my  horse's  neck 
and  turn  him  loose  to  feed  in  the  woods  during  the  night.  At 
first  I  was  anxious  lest  he  might  stray  away,  but  he  soon  became 
accustomed  to  it,  and  seldom  went  far  away  from  the  dwelling, 
so  that  I  generally  had  but  little  trouble  to  find  him. 

"Twenty-eight  years  have  passed  by  since  I  first  traveled 
through  this  section,  and  Oh  what  a  change  do  I  behold  !  Every- 
thing has  a  different  aspect,  not  only  in  the  natural,  but  also  in 
the  spiritual.  Where  dense  and  dark  forests  stood,  are  now 
beautiful  fields  of  thickly-standing  com.  Where  for  many  miles 
no  house  was  visible,  I  now  see  palatial  residences,  and  the  wil- 
derness I  see  changed  into  cities  and  villages,  well  provided  with 
churches,  in  some  of  which  I  have  the  pleasure  of  preaching. 
Where  narrow  and  swampy  foot-paths  led,  are  now  substantial 
roads,  while  good  and  safe  bridges  everywhere  span  the  streams. 
But  best  of  all,  many  of  the  people  who  were  as  rough  as  the 
original  country,  are  now  converted  and  lead  a  zealous  life. 
How  cheering  it  is  to  meet  here  and  there  some  of  the  aged 
pilgrims  who  have  battled  for  the  Lord  for  many  years,  and 
though  they  go  bowed,  with  staff  in  hand,  yet  they  are  blooming, 
fruitful  and  fresh.  Many  others  whom  I  knew  are  no  more. 
Who  am  I,  that  I  still  stand  on  Zion's  walls?  Soon,  soon  my 
work  under  the  sun  will  also  cease.  '  When  a  few  years  are  come, 
then  I  shall  go  the  way  whence  I  shall  not  return.'   Job  xvi.  22." 

With  regards  to  the  family  who  first  received  Hennig  in  the 
wilderness,  we  have  the  following  from  J.  M.  Savlor,  who  ten 
years  later  (1826)  preached  in  that  locality:  "The  family  was 
from  Penn's  Valley,  Centre  county.  Pa.,  and  well  acquainted  with 
Hennig.  The  day  after  their  arrival  in  the  forest  the  family 
began  to  lament  that  they  were  so  far  removed  from  the  means  of 
grace  and  our  preachers.  The  father  comforted  them  by  telling 
them  that  they  would  not  very  long  be  deprived  of  these  bless- 
ings. While  this  conversation  was  in  progress  a  lonely  horseman 
was  seen  coming  through  the  forest.  'There,'  said  the  father, 
'comes  our  preacher  now ! '  Sure  enough,  it  was  the  missionary, 
and  despondency  gave  way  to  joy.  By  the  campfire  they  partook 
of  a  frugal  repast  together,  and  then  the  family  scoured  the  forest 


140  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


to  bring  the  settlers  together  for  preaching  that  night  in  a  neigh- 
boring cabin. " 

Truly  this  was  an  humble  beginning.  But  as  we  survey  the 
three-quarters  of  a  century  that  have  passed  by  and  also  the 
grand  results  achieved,  we  are  led  to  say,  "This  is  the  Lord's 
doing.    It  is  marvelous  in  our  eyes."    Ps.  cxviii.  23. 

Wayne  County.  In  Wayne  County  the  preaching  places 
were  numerous,  but  their  names  can  not  all  be  recovered.  Some 
of  the  principal  appointments  were  in  the  vicinity  of  Wooster. 
Hence  when  the  Canton  Circuit  was  divided,  about  ten  years 
after  its  formation,  the  new  charge  was  called  Wooster  Circuit. 
Near  Wooster  lived  Henry  Rauch,  in  whose  house  was  held  the 
first  Evangelical  conference  in  Ohio,  in  1827,  where  also  the  first 
ordination  took  place.  Near  Bristol  lived  P.  Stroh,  who  had 
removed  thither  from  Fishing  Creek  Valley,  Pa.,  where  he  and 
his  brother  had  been  influenced  by  the  ministry  of  Albright. 
In  later  years  one  of  his  sons  entered  the  Ohio  Conference.  J. 
Hegermans  was  an  important  place.  Through  a  camp-meeting 
held  there  in  1828  a  new  impetus  was  given  to  our  work  in  Ohio, 
after  years  of  stagnation.  Hegerman  and  his  wife  Sarah  were 
among  the  first  members  of  our  Church.  She,  at  least,  was  con- 
verted under  the  preaching  of  Albright.  (She  died,  a  widow, 
in  1848,  aged  sixty-five  years.)  In  181 7  Rev.  Jacob  Vander- 
SALL,  removed  from  Cumberland  county,  Pa.,  to  Wayne  county, 
Ohio,  and  his  house  became  a  preaching  place.   (See  "Pines.") 

The  house  of  Peter  Hennig,  a  brother  of  the  missionary, 
was  an  original  preaching  place,  and  for  years  a  point  of  great 
importance  for  camp  and  general  meetings.  Hennig  was  con- 
verted under  Albright  in  Penn's  Valley,  Pa.,  in  1806.  He  died 
in  1873,  aged  eighty-two  years.  Also  John  Vetters  (died  in 
1854,  aged  sixty-one) J  John  Herbach,  from  Somerset  county. 
Pa. ;  A.  Shilling,  at  whose  house  the  first  general  meeting  in  the 
West  was  held  in  18 18;  and  a  few  years  later  his  brother  Rev. 
John  Shilling  (i);  Rev.  Abraham  Huth;  P.  Straver;  M. 
Reidinger,  and  later,  at  West  Salem,  Rev.  John  Reigel  (2) 
and  Fred.  Borauff  (3).    The  home  of  Jacob  Lehr  was  also  an 

Biographical  Notes. — (i)  John  Shilling  entered  the  ministry  in  1816. 
He  traveled  about  five  years,  mostly  in  Ohio,  then  located. 

(2)  John  Reigel  was  licensed  in  1816,  and  traveled  a  number  of  years ; 
died,  1859. 

(3)  Fred.  Borauff  was  licensed  in  1822,  traveled  a  number  of  years  and 
settled  near  West  Salem,  Ohio,  where  he  died. 


THE  EARLT  DAT8. 


141 


important  place.  Lehr  was  from  Manheim,  Pa.,  where  he  was 
converted  in  1810,  through  the  instrumentality  of  John  Seybert, 
who  was  then  a  class-leader.  He  died  in  1846,  aged  seventy- 
years.  Rev.  Adam  Hennig,  the  missionary,  maintained  an  ap- 
pointment at  his  place  for  many  years.  Other  appointments  on 
the  old  Canton  Circuit  were  at  the  homes  of  J.  Row,  the  founder 
of  Rowsburgh,  Ashland  county,  Ohio ;  Gabriel  Putman,  an  ear- 
nest, liberal  man  who  died  at  Wilmot,  Stark  county,  in  1882, 
aged  eighty-eight,  and  who  made  a  liberal  bequest  to  the  Orphan 
Home. 

Stark  County.  In  Stark  county  the  Evangelical  mission- 
aries met  with  good  success.  At  (now)  Greensburg,  Summit 
county,  a  class  was  formed,  the  appointments  being  as  follows : 
At  the  home  of  Conrad  Dillman,  who  in  181 5  had  removed 
from  Penn's  Valley,  Pa.  He  was  converted  in  1806,  and  became 
a  member  of  the  Church  in  181 1.  He  welcomed  the  mission- 
aries with  open  arras,  and  for  many  years  his  home  was  a  preach- 
ing place.  Michael  Dillman,  a  son  of  Conrad,  was  also  one 
of  the  first  members,  and  became  a  pillar  in  the  Church.  In  1849 
he  removed  to  Plainfield,  111.,  where  he  died  in  1861,  aged  sixty- 
three  years.  Mary,  a  daughter  of  Conrad  D.,  became  the  wife 
of  Rev.  Adam  Kleinfelter.  Abraham  Willhelm,  an  old  mem- 
ber of  the  Church,  had  come  from  Pennsylvania  near  the  same 
as  Dillman,  and  his  house  also  was  one  of  the  first  preaching 
places.  J.  Kreitz's  place  became  noted  for  camp-meetings, 
where  very  many  persons  were  converted,  of  whom  a  large  num- 
ber became  ministers.  Among  these  was  Rev.  J.  J.  Kopp,  who 
became  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  Church.  His 
parents,  John  and  Christina  Kopp,  were  also  converted  near 
the  same  time  and  opened  their  house  as  a  preaching  place.  In 
1822  Rev.  Abraham  Ream  and  wife  Anna  Maria,  removed  hither 
irora  Penn's  Valley,  and  their  place  became  a  noted  point.  The 
father  of  Ream  was  one  of  the  first  in  Penn's  Valley  to  receive 
Albright.  The  society  at  Greensburgh  became  one  of  the  most 
flourishing  in  Ohio,  and  had  the  honor  of  entertaining,  in  1843, 
the  first  General  Conference  consisting  of  elected  delegates. 
About  eight  miles  north  of  Canton  lived  W.  Wise,  from  Centre 

Note. — Rev.  J.  J.  Kopp  was  born  in  Germany,  1805,  entered  the  Western 
Conference  in  1832,  and  at  once  took  high  rank  as  an  earnest  minister  of  the 
Gospel.  He  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1839;  re-elected  in  1845  and  1849; 
located  in  1866;  died  at  Lafayette,  Ohio,  Jan.  27,  1889,  aged  eighty-three  years. 


142  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


county,  Pa.,  whose  house  was  a  preaching  place.  In  1819  the 
Jirst  camp-meeting  of  our  Church  in  Ohio  was  held  on  his  land. 

Columbiatia  County.  In  Columbiana  county  the  first 
preachers  of  the  Association  gained  a  strong  foothold  in  Salem 
township  and  a  society  was  formed  in  the  vicinity  of  New  Lisbon. 
The  house  of  Peter  Miller  was  one  of  the  first  preaching  places 
and  some  of  the  first  conversions  took  place  there.  Miller  died 
in  1843.  Other  important  points  were  the  homes  of  Joseph 
Gangawer,  who  died  in  1843,  aged  sixty-nine,  and  Daniel  Gil- 
bert, In  1818  Killian  Long,  from  Dauphin  county.  Pa.,  opened 
his  house  as  a  preaching  place,  and  some  of  his  children  were 
converted  about  this  time,  among  them  Joseph,  who  soon  after- 
wards entered  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  and  rose  to  the  office 
of  bishop.  Their  daughter  Anna  Barbara  became  the  wife  of 
Rev.  George  Mattinger.  Killian  Long  died  in  1842,  aged 
eighty  years,  and  his  wife  Barbara  in  1836,  aged  sixty-six  years. 

Tuscarawas  County.  In  Tuscarawas  county  the  work  was 
very  weak  and  no  organization  was  elfected  by  the  missionaries. 
In  1832  Charles  Hammer,  while  traveling  through  this  region, 
met  David  Ressler  and  wife  Rachel.  They  had  been  mem- 
bers in  Pennsylvania,  and  had  lately  removed  to  this  place.  A 
regular  appointment  was  at  once  established  here,  and  a  class 
formed  soon  afterwards.  Their  son  Jacob  became  a  minister  in 
the  Ohio  Conference. 

Another  important  point  was  the  house  of  Henry  Kretzer 
and  wife  Sarah.  They  were  converted  in  Berks  county.  Pa., 
under  the  labors  of  Albright  and  co-laborers,  and  removed  to 
this  place,  where  they  were  among  the  first  members  of  the  Church. 
Through  their  instrumentality  a  society  was  organized  and  a 
church  built.    Kretzer  died  in  1844,  aged  sixty-one  years. 

Fairfield  County.  In  the  Spring  of  18 16  Fred.  Shower 
entered  the  Scioto  Valley,  Ohio,  to  begin  his  work.  We  first  find 
him  in  a  settlement  of  Pennsylvania  Germans,  twelve  miles  north- 
west of  Lancaster.  Here  liver  the  brothers  Philip  and  Daniel 
Hov,  who  had  married  Lizzie  and  Molly  Ever,  respectively, 
daughters  of  Abraham  Ever,  Esq.,  of  Dry  Valley,  Pa.  The 
parents  of  the  Hoys  and  their  wives  were  among  the  chief  sup- 
porters of  Albright.  The  Hovs  emigrated  to  Ohio  in  1806, 
and  their  wives  were  the  first  members  of  the  Church,  so  far  as 
known,  in  the  State.  On  their  way  out,  Catharine,  the  four- 
year-old  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Molly,  fell  from  the  wagon. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


143 


which  passed  over  her  head  and  almost  killed  her.  She,  how- 
ever, recovered  and  afterwards  became  the  wife  of  Joseph  Long, 
second  bishop  of  the  Church.  Daniel  Hoy's  was  the  first  preach- 
ing place  of  the  Scioto  or  Lancaster  Circuit,  and  the  first  class 
was  organized  here  the  following  year  (1817).  Both  Philip  and 
Daniel  became  members  at  this  time.  Daniel  Hoy's  was  espe- 
cially noted  for  general  and  camp-meetings.  The  first  camp- 
meeting  of  the  circuit  was  held  here  in  1822. 

About  twenty  miles  east  of  Hoy's,  and  about  eight  miles  from 
Lancaster,  was  another  settlement  of  Pennsylvanians,  mostly  from 
York  county,  among  them  was  George  Swartz,  whose  wife 
Elenore  was  a  member  of  a  prominent  family  named  Seitz,  who 
were  among  the  first  to  receive  the  Evangelical  preachers  in  York 
county,  near  Strassburgh,  now  Shrewsbury.  On  a  farm  adjoin- 
ing Swartz  lived  his  brother-in-law  Henry  Einsel,  whose  wife 
was  Barbara  Seitz.  They  had  moved  to  the  Western  wilds  in 
1805.  A  few  years  later  two  more  brothers-in-law  arrived.  They 
were  Henry  Keller  and  Joseph  Leib,  married  to  Catharine 
and  Elizabeth  Seitz,  respectively.  They  located  a  consider- 
able distance  from  Swartz.  The  pioneer  of  this  colony  was 
Lewis  Seitz,  a  brother  of  the  above  women.  He  had  settled 
here  in  1801,  about  midway  between  Swartz  and  Einsel,  and 
Keller  and  Leib.  Besides  the  foregoing  families,  there  were 
others  from  the  same  locality  who  will  be  noticed  hereafter. 

The  news  of  Showers'  arrival  at  Hoy's  soon  spread,  and 
George  Swartz  traveled  twenty  miles  to  hear  him.  Being  well 
pleased  he  invited  Showers  to  preach  at  his  house,  which  he  did, 
with  the  gratifying  result  that  through  Swartz  all  the  other  rela- 
tives named  also  opened  their  door  to  the  new  preacher,  and 
their  homes  became  regular  preaching  places. 

In  the  Autumn  of  181 6  Rev.  John  Seitz,  of  York  county, 
Pa.,  visited  his  above  named  brother  and  sisters.  During  this 
visit  he  did  all  he  could  to  further  the  good  work  begun  among 
his  friends  and  relatives.    On  one  occasion  he  preached  at  the 

Biographical  Notes. — Philip  Hoy  died  in  1823,  aged  fifty-three  years. 
His  wife  Elizabeth  died  in  1850,  aged  seveuty-three  years.  Their  family  of 
ten  children  became  members  of  the  Church.   Two  daughters  married  preachers. 

Daniel  Hoy  died  in  1871,  aged  ninety  years,  his  wife  Molly  in  1863,  aged 
eighty-four  years.  Their  entire  family  became  members  of  the  Church.  Catha- 
rine became  the  wife  of  Bishop  Long. 

Rev.  Samuel  Hoy,  for  many  years  a  prominent  member  of  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference, and  Rev.  JoHN  HoY,  are  grandsons  of  Daniel  Hoy. 


144 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


house  of  George  Swartz,  when  the  power  of  God  was  signally 
manifested,  and  three  young  women  were  converted.  This  made 
a  deep  impression  on  the  community,  and  prepared  the  way  for 
the  ingathering  the  following  year.  Showers  extended  his  work 
through  Fairfield  county,  and  also  found  open  doors  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Franklin,  Ross  and  Pickaway.  He  visited  and  preached 
in  the  houses  of  most  of  the  families  enumerated  hereafter.  He 
was  generally  esteemed  and  acceptable,  and  might  have  been 
very  successful,  had  he  not  yielded  to  influences  which  led  him 
to  abandon  his  work.  He,  however,  retained  a  warm  friendship 
for  the  Church  of  his  youth,  and  had  no  rest  until,  years  after- 
wards (1827),  he  was  again  received,  and  died  in  the  Evangeli- 
cal fold. 

In  181 7  John  and  Adam  Klinefelter,  of  Strausburg,  York 
county,  Pa.,  were  sent  to  develop  this  great  and  promising  field. 
They  were  well  acquainted  with  many  of  the  settlers  and  were 
welcomed  in  the  homes  of  many.  They  resumed  the  work  where 
Showers  had  dropped  it,  extending  its  borders  into  Hocking 
county. 

We  have  already  seen  that  a  work  of  grace  was  commenced  at 
George  Swartz's  in  the  Fall  of  1816.  He  and  his  wife  were 
converted,  and  he  began  holding  prayer-meetings,  keeping  the 
work  alive  until  the  arrival  of  the  Klinefelters.  Soon  there- 
after Adam  K.  preached  at  the  house  of  Swartz.  A  young  man 
named  Henry  Downey  (i),  who  sat  near  the  preacher,  was 
brought  to  a  deep  sense  of  his  lost  condition,  fell  upon  his  knees, 
and  began  to  plead  for  mercy.  After  a  remarkable  penitential 
struggle  he  was  gloriously  saved.  He  was  soon  after  licensed  as 
a  local  preacher. 

George  Swartz  was  one  of  the  strong  supports  of  the  work 
in  Ohio,  and  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  its  success.  Fa- 
ther Loehner  says:  "My  earliest  recollections  of  these  things 
carry  me  back  about  seventy  years.  In  my  mind  I  can  see  Fa- 
ther George  Swartz  on  his  gray  horse  'Bob,'  in  company  with 


BiOGRAHiCAL  NoTE. — (i)  Henry  Downkv  was  born  in  Maryland  in  1800. 
When  a  youth  his  parents  removed  to  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  where  he  was  con- 
verted when  eighteen  years  of  age.  Three  years  later  he  was  licensed  to  preach, 
and  later  removed  to  Seneca  county.  He  was  a  man  of  considerable  ability  and 
exemplary  piety.  The  last  five  years  of  his  life  he  spent  in  the  active  ministry 
of  the  Ohio  Conference.  His  last  charge  was  St.  Joseph  mission,  in  Michigan, 
where  he  died  at  his  post,  Nov.  11,  1852. 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


145 


the  preacher,  coining  from  Rush  Creek  to  my  father's  house  on 
Raccoon,  where  we  had  preaching  in  the  evening."  Swartz  was 
called  to  his  reward  in  182 1,  and  his  wife  in  1847.  Their  whole 
family  of  ten  children  became  useful  members  of  the  Church. 

Joseph  Swartz,  eldest  son  of  the  foregoing,  was  one  of  the 
converts  of  181 7.  He  was  married  to  Catharine  Beery.  They 
had  a  large  family,  all  of  whom  became  members  of  the  Church. 
He  worthily  took  the  place  of  his  deceased  father,  and  his  house 
became  a  preaching  place  and  a  home  for  the  itinerant.  In  course 
of  time  he  removed  to  a  place  where  the  Church  was  not  repre- 
sented, and  there  also  his  house  became  a  preaching  place.  His 
devotion  to  the  Church  was  well  rewarded,  as  a  class  was  soon 
formed,  and  a  little  later  a  church  was  built,  called  Mt.  Tabor, 
four  miles  east  of  Lancaster.  This  place  became  a  stronghold, 
where  revivals  took  place  and  many  of  the  converts  became  min- 
isters. Andrew  Swartz,  the  youngest  son  of  Joseph,  entered 
the  ministry  of  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1857,  and  became  noted 
as  a  revivalist.  George  Swartz,  Jr.,  son  of  the  pioneer,  be- 
came class-leader  at  Rush  Creek  at  an  early  day,  and  was  for 
many  years  a  pillar  in  the  society.  His  son  Simon  entered  the 
ranks  of  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1857,  and  rendered  many  years 
of  service  in  Ohio,  Illinois,  and  Kansas.  Daniel  Swartz,  an- 
other son  of  the  pioneer,  entered  the  ative  ministry  of  the  Ohio 
Conference  in  1835,  and  rendered  effective  service  to  the  work. 
He  died  in  1891,  aged  eighty-five  years. 

The  relatives  of  Swartz,  Henry  Keller,  Joseph  Leib,  and 
Lewis  Seitz,  already  referred  to,  also  received  the  Evangelical 
preachers  in  18 16-17,  and  their  houses  were  preaching  places 
for  a  number  of  years. 

Henry  Einsel  lived  on  a  farm  adjoining  his  brother-in-law, 
George  Swartz.  He  died  in  18 14,  two  years  before  the  advent 
of  the  Evangelical  preachers.  The  widow  opened  her  house  as 
a  preaching  place  for  our  first  missionaries.  She  was  well  known 
throughout  our  Western  work  because  of  her  zeal  and  hospitality. 
She  raised  a  large  family  of  children,  who  became  an  honor  to 
her  and  the  Church.  In  a  beautiful  grove  on  her  land  were  held 
a  number  of  camp-meetings  remarkable  for  their  power.  In  1842 
a  church  was  built  near  the  camp  ground,  one  of  the  first  of  the 
society  in  Ohio,  and  an  important  point  in  the  early  history  of 
the  work  in  that  State.  Mother  Einsel  was  called  to  her  reward 
in  1857.    Her  son  John  was  one  of  the  pillars  of  the  old  Lan- 


146  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


caster  Circuitj  serving  many  years  as  a  class-leader.  Lewis,  a 
younger  son,  entered  the  ministry. 

On  Raccoon  Creek  the  first  Evangelical  preachers  were  re- 
ceived by  George  Loehner  and  wife  Catharine.  They  had 
emigrated  thither  from  Virginia  in  1814.  Their  home  was  a 
preaching  place  for  many  years  and  they  lived  to  see  the  Evan- 
gelical work  established.  Several  of  their  sons  became  eminent 
in  the  society.  Father  L.  died  in  185 1,  aged  eighty-one,  and 
Mother  L.  in  1874,  aged  ninety-five  years.  Their  son  Abraham, 
born  in  Virginia  in  181 2,  was  converted  in  youth,  entered  the 
ministry  of  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1837,  and  rendered  many 
years  of  service  in  the  Master's  cause. 

On  Walnut  Creek  the  Evangelical  preachers  found  preaching 
places  at  the  homes  of  J.  Knepper,  several  families  named  Pon- 
tius, Adam  Klahr,  (died  in  1871,  aged  eighty-nine)  one  of  the 
most  earnest  and  consecrated  members  in  Ohio,  and  John  Bright 
(Brecht),  in  Liberty  township.  (Died  in  1853,  aged  sixty-six 
years. ) 

In  1829  a  remarkable  series  of  camp-meetings  commenced  on 
the  land  of  John  Brecht.  For  thirteen  years  in  succession  the 
Evangelical  hosts  gathered  here,  and  great  victories  were  achieved. 
Sometimes  scores  of  souls  were  at  the  altar,  some  of  whom  be- 
came ministers.  Brecht's  house  was  always  a  royal  home  for 
the  itinerants.  When  the  lamented  young  preacher,  Wm.  Berk- 
heimer,  broke  down,  after  five  years  of  itinerant  work,  he  found 
here  such  a  home  as  is  seldom  found  even  under  a  parental  roof. 
Here  this  servant  of  the  Lord  died  in  1840,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
six  years.  Not  far  from  this  locality  lived  John  Miller,  Sr. 
He  also  received  our  first  preachers ;  his  house  became  a  regular 
preaching  place ;  most  of  his  family  united  with  the  Church,  and 
four  of  his  sons  opened  their  houses  as  preaching  places.  The 
session  of  the  Western  Conference  was  held  at  his  house  in  1833. 
(Died  in  1856,  aged  seventy-eight  years.) 

In  the  early  part  of  the  century  Jos.  Miesse  removed  from 
Bern  township,  Berks  county.  Pa.,  and  settled  four  or  five  miles 
north  of  Lancaster,  Ohio,  where  his  house  became  one  of  the 
noted  preaching  places  of  Lancaster  Circuit  for  general  and 
camp-meetings.  (Died  in  1859,  aged  seventy-one  years. )  Other 
important  preaching  places,  some  as  early  as  18 16,  were  at  the 
homes  of  J.  Flick,  Mich.  Bravtigam,  (died  in  1841,  aged  seventy 
years)  Daniel  Hoddel,  J.  Lidel,  Ulrick  Wagoner,  (a  Swiss) 


THE  EARLY  DAT8. 


147 


and  Rev.  Shem  Sager.    (Died  in  1857,  aged  seventy-one  years. ) 

The  appointments  thus  far  noticed  were  all  in  Fairfield  county. 
South  of  this  region,  in  Hocking  county,  some  of  the  first  preach- 
ing places  were  at  Benj.  Bucher's,  John  Gass'  and  G.  Zellers', 
and  in  Ross  county  at  the  home  of  Lorentz  Bernhart,  a  strong 
pillar  of  the  early  work,  who  had  come  from  York  county,  Pa., 
where  he  was  converted  in  1809.  (Died  in  1842,  aged  sixty-six 
years.)  The  Buchwalters,  who  came  to  Ross  county  in  1820, 
were  converted  under  Albright  in  the  beginning  of  his  ministry. 
They  lived  in  Berks  county.  Pa.,  not  far  from  the  Colbrookdale 
furnace,  and  with  their  wives  were  members  of  Liesser's  Class, 
one  of  the  first  three  classes  organized  by  Albright  in  1800. 
John  Buchwalter,  a  son  of  Abraham,  and  a  prominent  and 
useful  man,  was  married  to  Susan  Dreisbach,  a  sister  of  Rev. 
John  Dreisbach,  and  in  1827  they  removed  from  Buffalo  Valley, 
Pa.,  to  Hallsville,  where  they  received  our  preachers.  He  died 
in  1872,  aged  eighty-five  years,  and  his  wife  in  1881,  aged  eighty- 
seven  years. 

Twelve  miles  east  of  Chillicothe  lived  Martin  Dreisbach, 
a  cousin  of  Rev.  John  D.,  whose  wife  was  Anna  Ever,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Abraham  Ever,  of  Dry  Valley,  Pa.  Both  were  converted 
under  Albright,  removed  to  Ohio,  and  were  among  the  first  to 
receive  our  preachers  in  1816-17.  Jacob  Stump  and  Father 
Weaver,  at  Adelphia,  and  the  Bernharts  and  John  Adam 
Gates,  at  Dry  Run,  opened  their  homes  to  our  preachers.  Father 
Gates  died  in  1840,  at  an  advanced  age.  His  son,  Peter  Gates, 
entered  the  gospel  ministry. 

In  Franklin  county  some  of  the  first  families  of  the  Church, 
whose  homes  were  preaching  places,  were  the  following :  John 
Bishop  and  his  noble  wife  Mary;  Samuel  Riegel  and  wife 
Sarah;  J.  Neiswander  (for  many  years  class-leader.  Died  in 
1872,  aged  eighty-six  years.)  and  wife;  D.  Zwicker  and  wife; 
H.  Stouffer  (local  preacher)  and  wife ;  Peter  Quinn  and  wife, 
(converted  under  Albright  in  1806;  removed  to  Ohio  at  an 
early  day;  died  in  1862,  aged  seventy-six  years).  Most  of  the 
foregoing  resided  on  Rocky  Fork. 

In  Pickaway  county  our  first  preachers  were  received  by 
Samuel  and  Henry  Dreisbach,  and  Leonard  Wolf  (all  from 
Buffalo  Valley,  Pa.),  Mich.  Whistler  (died  in  1864,  aged 
seventy-five  years),  and  several  families  named  Moyer.  At  a 
later  day,  Solomon  Zinzer  and  family  were  converted,  and  his 


148  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


home  became  an  important  place.  A  son,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  became 
one  of  the  most  prominent  ministers  of  the  Church  (Zinzer  died 
in  1847,  aged  sixty-nine  years).  In  1831  John  Dreisbach,  the 
last  surviving  colleague  of  Albright,  removed  from  Buffalo 
Valley,  Pa.,  to  a  place  near  Circleville.  His  house  became  a 
regular  preaching  place,  and  one  of  the  first  churches  in  Ohio 
was  erected  here. 

We  have  now  traced  out  the  bounds  of  this  vast  field  of  labor 
as  established  by  our  first  preachers.  We  have  also  noticed 
most  of  the  prominent  families  whose  homes  were  Evangelical 
sanctuaries  and  whose  sons  took  the  places  of  the  devoted  men 
who  were  sent  from  year  to  year  to  these  Western  wilds  by  the 
mother  conference.  The  bounds  of  this  great  circuit,  with  few 
changes,  remained,  as  outlined  in  this  chapter,  for  many  years, 
and  was  not  permanently  divided  until  1840.  In  1836  it  num- 
bered forty-two  preaching  places.  This  field  furnished  its  full 
share  of  workers  for  the  Master's  vineyard.  In  thirteen  years 
no  less  than  thirteen  young  men  entered  the  Gospel  ministry  from 
its  bounds,  several  of  whom  became  prominent  in  the  Church. 
They  were  Henry  Wissler  (i),  1824;  J.  G.  Zinzer  (2),  1829; 
W.  Roehrig,  1830;  Daniel  Tobias,  Peter  Gates  (3),  and 
Aaron  Yambert  (4),  1833;  Peter  Wiest  and  Samuel  Van 
Gundy,  1834;  Daniel  Swartz,  1835;  L.  Einsel  (5)  and  A.  B. 
Shaffer  (6),  1836;  A.  Loehner  and  Isaac  Hoffer,  1837.  Right 
worthily  did  these  noble  sons  of  Ohio  take  the  places  of  their 
spiritual  fathers,  and  most  of  them  were  spared  to  see  the  work 
established  throughout  the  State  and  all  over  the  more  distant 
West.  

Biographical  Notes. — (i)  Henry  Wissler  was  born  in  Pennsylvania. 
When  a  youth  his  parents  removed  to  Ohio  and  were  of  the  first  members.  He 
died  at  Webster,  Iowa,  in  1887,  aged  ninety-three  years. 

(2)  See  Biographic  Department. 

(3)  Peter  Gates  rendered  about  twenty-five  years  of  active  service  ;  located 
because  of  ill  health,  and  settled  at  West  Liberty,  Iowa,  where  he  died  in  1882, 
aged  seventy-five  years. 

(4)  Aaron  Yambert  was  bom  in  Berks  county,  Pa.,  in  1809.  After  serv- 
ing the  Church  many  years,  he  located  because  of  impaired  health.  Died  July 
4,  1888. 

(5)  Lewis  Einsel  was  born  in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  in  1813;  was  the  first 
Evangelical  missionary  in  Chicago,  111.,  in  1839,  and  also  at  Cleveland,  Ohio, 
in  1 84 1,  where  he  erected  a  church  the  following  year.  In  1842  he  was  married 
to  Catharine,  a  daughter  of  Rev.  John  Dreisbach.  He  died  in  Holdrcge, 
Neb.,  in  1893.  ^ 

(6)  See  Biographic  Department. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


149 


Sandusky  Circuit.    In  the  Autumn  of  1826  at  a  quarterly 

meeting  held  near  Mansfield,  Ohio,  the  presiding  elder,  Adam 
Klinefelter,  informed  Rev.  J.  M.  Saylor  that  there  were  a 
number  of  praying  people  in  tne  region  of  Upper  Sandusky,  and 
directed  him  to  visit  them  as  soon  as  convenient,  and  if  possible 
establish  an  appointment.  In  due  time  Saylor  went  to  the  des- 
ignated locality,  where  he  arrived  near  noon,  and  found  most  of 
the  people  of  the  neighborhood  gathered  for  the  purpose  of  clear- 
ing land  for  cultivation.  Ox  teams,  brawny  arms,  axes,  and 
burning  brush  greeted  the  eyes  of  the  itinerant.  Saylor  informed 
the  men  that  he  was  a  missionary  sent  to  look  after  their  spirit- 
ual welfare.  They  all  seemed  very  much  pleased,  informed  him 
that  they  had  heard  no  sermon  for  six  years,  and  declared  that 
they  would  work  no  more  until  they  had  heard  a  sermon.  Ac- 
cordingly they  repaired  to  the  house,  where  a  lunch  was  served 
by  the  women,  after  which  Saylor  held  divine  service,  and  found 
a  number  of  praying  people  among  them.  Another  meeting  was 
held  in  the  evening,  which  was  largely  attended.  Then  a  class 
of  twenty-five  members  was  organized,  which  was  the  beginning 
of  the  work  in  this  part  of  the  State.  Saylor  did  not  visit  the 
place  again,  but  Rev.  Jacob  Fry  did  so,  repeatedly,  previous  to 
the  conference  session. 

At  the  session  of  the  Ohio  Conference  in  June,  1827,  the 
great  Sandusky  Circuit,  embracing  four  or  five  counties,  was 
formed,  and  assigned  to  Adam  Klinefelter.  This  region  had 
been  recently  purchased  from  the  Indians,  and  settlers  were  com- 
ing in  from  all  directions. 

About  the  time  Sandusky  Circuit  was  formed,  William  Pon- 
tius, originally  from  Berks  county,  Pa.,  removed  from  Pickaway 
to  the  northern  part  of  Marion  county,  Ohio.  He  and  his  house- 
hold were  members  of  the  Church,  and  his  house  became  one  of 
the  first  preaching  places,  and  as  it  was,  perhaps,  the  most  impor- 
tant point  on  the  southern  end  of  the  charge  it  seems  proper  to 
speak  of  some  of  the  other  appointments  in  relation  to  distance 
and  direction  from  this  place.  Pontius  died  in  1832,  aged  fifty 
years,  and  his  wife  Susanna  in  1836,  aged  fifty-two  years.  They 
had  eight  children  and  constitued  a  godly  family.  Their  third 
son,  Peter,  was  one  of  the  first-fruits  of  the  ministry  from  this 
circuit.  He  died  in  1853,  ag.ed  thirty- two  years.  Joseph  K., 
youngest  son  of  William,  was  licensed  in  1856,  and  traveled  in 
Ohio  and  later  in  Michigan,  where  he  died  in  1887,  aged  sixty- 


150  SVANO E Lie AL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


three  years.  Susanna  M.,  a  daughter,  became  the  wife  of  Rev. 
Christian  Idleman,  a  member  of  the  Ohio  Conference. 

About  eight  miles  east  of  the  Pontius  home  was  the  Beech, 
another  of  the  first  points  of  the  charge.  The  preaching  places 
were  at  Henry  and  John  Diebert's  and  Henry  Miller's. 
Miller  had  removed  hither  from  Fairfield  county,  where  he  was 
converted  in  youth.  He  was  bom  in  Berks  county,  Pa.,  in  1800, 
and  died  in  1879.  It  is  held  that  the  first  church  on  the  circuit 
was  erected  at  the  Beech.  About  four  miles  west  of  Pontius 
was  a  settlement  by  European  Germans,  where  our  first  preach- 
ers found  entrance,  and  where  a  church  was  built  at  an  early  day. 
The  principal  members  were  Xavier  Zachman,  Peter  Acham, 
and  two  men  each  named  John  Myers.  This  was  known  as  the 
Bethlehem  Class.  Brother  Zachman  was  the  leader  of  the  class 
for  almost  forty  years.    He  died  in  1889,  aged  eighty-four  years. 

John  Boyer,  from  Pennsylvania,  moved  about  seven  miles 
northeast  of  Pontius.  He  and  family  were  all  members  of  the 
Church  ;  among  them  his  son  John,  Jr.,  and  his  son-in-law  Peter 
Gabel.    An  appointment  was  maintained  here  for  some  time. 

In  1826  Rev.  Jacob  Klinefelter,  one  of  the  prominent 
preachers  of  the  early  days,  removed  from  Pennsylvania,  and 
settled  about  six  miles  northwest  of  Pontius.  His  house  was 
one  of  the  first  preaching  places.  Some  years  later  Jacob  Kline- 
felter, a  relative  of  the  former,  settled  about  three  miles  north 
of  Pontius.  In  course  of  time  a  class  was  formed  here  and  a 
church  built.  The  places  enumerated  were  all  in  Marion  county, 
and  constituted  the  southern  end  of  the  circuit. 

In  Crawford  county  the  chief  point  was  at  Broken  Sword. 
The  leading  members  were  Jacob  and  Fronica  Lintner,  from 
Dauphin  county.  Pa.,  and  their  son-in-law  Rev.  John  Myers, 
also  Michael  and  Susanna  Shupp,  parents  of  Rev.  N.  Shupp. 
A  church  was  built  here  at  an  early  day.  West  of  Broken  Sword 
was  Indian  Bush,  one  of  the  first  preaching  places. 

In  Seneca  county  the  work  prospered  greatly,  and  a  number 
of  strong  classes  were  organized  prior  to  1832.  About  1830  a 
number  of  members  from  Wayne  county  removed  to  the  vicinity 
of  Flat  Rock  and  Bellview,  most  of  whom  had  been  members  in 
Pennsylvania.  Some  were  converted  under  Albright  and  his 
co-laborers.  Their  number  was  increased  about  the  same  time 
by  direct  removals  from  Pennsylvania,  nearly  all  from  Musser's 
Valley,  in  (now)  Snyder  and  Mifilin  counties.    Among  them  were 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


151 


George,  John,  and  Fred  Herpster,  sons  of  Fred  Herpster, 
who  was  one  of  the  first  class-leaders  of  the  Church,  also  their 
brother-in-law,  Wm.  McCauley,  the  Wonders,  the  Mocks,  and 
John  Wales.  The  class  was  organized  in  1830,  and  Rev.  Daniel 
Wonder  was  the  first  leader.* 

The  home  of  Rev.  John  and  Barbara  Betz  was  one  of  the 
first  preaching  places.  They  were  converted  under  Albright 
and  co-laborers  at  Millheim,  Pa.,  in  1806.  (B.  was  a  brother 
of  Rev.  M.  Betz  ;  he  died  in  1848,  aged  sixty-eight  years.)  The 
town  of  Bettsville  was  named  in  his  honor.  Other  preaching 
places  were  at  the  homes  of  John  Lesher  and  Fred  Becker, 
who  were  among  the  first  members  in  1806  at  the  Miihlbach,  Pa. ; 
John  and  Susan  Wagoner,  who  became  members  in  Albright's 
time,  and  died  in  1872;  and  Henry  Sheller.  At  McCuchen- 
ville  one  of  the  chief  places  was  that  of  John  H.  Yambert,  of 
Berks  county.  Pa.  He  died  in  1862,  aged  eighty-two  years. 
His  two  sons  Aaron  and  J.  H.  became  prominent  ministers  in 
the  Ohio  Conference. 

In  Sandusky  county  one  of  the  chief  places  was  the  home  of 
George  and  Mary  Hartman,  who  became  members  in  1805,  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  removed  to  Ohio  in  1833.  It  is  held  that  the 
first  camp-meeting  on  Sandusky  Circuit  was  on  their  land. 
Daniel  Mowry,  brother-in-law  of  Hartman,  was  a  prominent 
old-time  member  and  his  house  a  preaching  place.  George 
Orwig  (uncle  of  Rev.  W.  W.  Orwig),  and  Rev.  Benj.  Ettinger, 
were  also  among  the  first  to  open  their  homes  as  preaching  places. 

In  Morrow  county  one  of  the  early  strongholds  was  at  Steam 
Corners.  Among  the  principal  members  were  Conrad  Rein- 
hart  and  John  Ettinger,  both  from  York  county.  Pa.,  and  J. 
Stoll,  from  Bedford  county.  Pa. 

Interesting  Incidents.  In  midwinter  of  1827  Rev.  J.  M. 
Saylor,  junior  preacher  on  the  charge,  traveled  about  twenty- 
five  miles  to  attend  a  general  meeting  at  Adam  Klahr's.  Snow 
and  sleet  fell  almost  continually  during  the  entire  journey,  and 
his  garments  were  frozen  stiff  and  covered  with  an  icy  crust.  At 
the  place  of  meeting  he  was  met  at  the  bam  by  his  presiding 
elder,  Adam  Klinefelter,  who  assisted  him  from  his  horse,  he 
being  unable  to  alight,  and  informed  him  that  he  had  appointed 

*  Nearly  all  these  families  were  converted  in  Albright's  time  at  the  Thomas 
appointment,  in  Mifflin  county,  Pa.,  in  1803,  in  which  connection  the  reader 
will  find  a  fuller  history  of  them. 


152 


EVANQELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


him  to  preach  that  night;  "but,"  said  he,  "you  are  almost 
frozen  to  death,  and  it  is  out  of  the  question  for  you  to  preach, 
so  I  will  preach  this  evening,  and  you  will  preach  to-morrow 
morning  in  my  place."  Saylor's  preaching  at  the  camp-meet- 
ings the  previous  Summer  seems  to  have  made  a  favorable  im- 
pression on  the  presiding  elder,  so  he  added,  "And,  Brother 
Saylor,  I  want  you  to  preach  one  of  your  big  camp-meeting 
sermons."  Fearing  that  his  preaching  ability  had  been  over- 
estimated, and  that  his  compliment  might  prove  a  snare  to  him, 
he  resolved,  after  spending  much  time  in  prayer,  to  preach  the 
simplest  text  that  presented  itself.  At  the  morning  service  the 
house  was  filled  with  people.  Saylor  took  as  his  text,  "To-day 
if  ye  will  hear  his  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts."  The  Lord 
stood  by  him  in  a  wonderful  manner  and  opened  the  hearts  of 
the  people.  As  the  sermon  progressed  the  Holy  Ghost  fell 
mightily  on  the  assembly,  and  the  voice  of  the  preacher  became 
inaudable  on  account  of  the  prayers  of  the  penitents  and  the  vic- 
torious shouts  of  the  saved.  The  sermon  was  cut  short,  and  the 
preachers  began  laboring  with  the  penitents.  The  hour  for  din- 
ner arrived,  but  no  one  seemed  to  have  a  thought  for  the  needs 
of  the  body,  so  intent  were  they  on  the  salvation  of  their  souls. 
The  meeting  continued  with  unabated  interest  all  the  afternoon. 
Evening  approached,  but  in  every  room  were  wrestling  Jacobs, 
who  had  taken  hold  on  the  Lord  and  would  not  let  Him  go  with- 
out a  blessing.  The  multitude  had  partaken  of  neither  dinner 
nor  supper.  "  We  must  have  salvation  now,"  was  the  prevailing 
sentiment.  So  the  meeting  continued  until  the  jubilant  shouts 
of  the  saved  could  be  heard  in  every  room  of  the  house.  At  9 
o'clock  at  night  the  meeting  closed,  after  eleven  hours'  contin- 
uous duration.  This  was  a  great  triumph  for  God's  cause.  Many 
were  converted  who  afterwards  became  pillars  in  the  Church, 
and  eternity  alone  can  count  the  sheaves  of  that  golden  harvest. 

In  1826  there  was  a  considerable  awakening  at  a  certain  place 
on  Lancaster  Circuit,  which  was  attended  by  J.  M.  Saylor. 
Observing  a  young  woman  with  a  pitiable  expression  of  sadness, 
he  asked  her  whether  she  was  a  Christian.  "No,"  said  she, 
"but  I  will  get  down  right  here  and  seek  salvation."  This  she 
did,  and  Saylor  bowed  by  her  side,  when  a  remarkable  struggle 
for  mercy  began.  The  evening  wore  away  and  still  darkness 
veiled  the  soul  of  the  weeping  penitent.  Midnight  approached, 
and  some  of  the  brethren  told  Saylor  that  his  labors  would  be 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


153 


in  vain.  "She  has  been  a  seeker  for  five  years,"  said  they. 
"She  comes  out  at  every  meeting,  but  she  makes  no  headway." 
"No,  said  Saylor,  "I  will  not  give  up.  I  will  see  whether  my 
dear  Saviour  will  not  bless  a  poor  penitent  that  struggles  so  ear- 
nestly." The  wrestling  continued  until  2  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, when  they  were  both  exhausted,  and  the  young  woman's 
heart  was  filled  with  unutterable  sorrow.  Both  preacher  and 
penitent  remained  under  the  same  roof  that  night.  When  morn- 
ing came  Saylor  said  to  the  young  woman,  "We  have  a  general 
meeting  next  Sunday  about  twenty-five  miles  from  here,  which  I 
want  you  to  attend.  Ask  your  father  to  give  you  a  horse  to  carry 
you,  and  come  without  fail."  When  the  meeting  opened  the 
young  woman  was  on  hand,  and  during  the  Saturday  evening 
service  she  was  very  much  broken  up  and  wept  pitifully.  On 
Sunday  morning  following,  as  Saylor  took  a  stroll  in  a  grove  near 
by,  to  collect  his  thoughts  for  the  services,  his  attention  was 
arrested  by  the  voice  of  weeping,  and,  going  in  the  direction  of 
the  sound,  he  found  the  young  woman  engaged  in  agonizing 
prayer.  In  the  evening  service  she  was  most  gloriously  and  tri- 
umphantly saved.  With  eyes  suffused  with  tears  of  joy,  and  both 
hands  raised  to  greet  her  pastor,  she  exclaimed,  "O,  Brother 
Saylor,  I  am  so  glad  that  there  was  yet  one  soul  (meaning  S. ) 
that  had  faith  that  the  Lord  Jesus  would  save  me! "  This  young 
lady,  whose  name  was  Rearick,  a  cousin  of  Bishop  Long,  be- 
came a  most  useful  and  exemplary  member. 

In  the  Fall  of  1826  Rev.  J.  M.  Saylor  preached  at  the  house 
of  H.  Rauch,  near  Wooster,  Wayne  county.  The  following 
morning  he  started  for  his  next  appointment,  to  be  filled  that 
evening.  About  six  miles  east  of  Wooster  he  saw  a  large  num- 
ber of  people  gathered  in  front  of  a  log  cabin,  and  was  hailed  by 
a  man  who  asked  him  whether  he  was  a  minister.  Saylor  an- 
swered in  the  affirmative.  Said  the  stranger,  "There  is  a  widow 
living  here  whose  daughter  is  dead,  and  the  minister  has  refused 
to  officiate  at  her  funeral  because  she  is  poor.  Would  you  have 
the  kindness  to  give  her  Christian  burial?"  Saylor  replied  that 
he  had  a  long  distance  to  go  to  his  preaching  place  that  night, 
but  would  give  them  a  short  discourse  and  offer  prayer,  but  could 
not  accompany  them  to  the  place  of  burial.  This  was  satisfac- 
tory, and  Saylor  dismounted.  He  found  the  house  full  of  peo- 
ple, and  felt  much  embarrassed  before  his  strange  audience.  He 
felt  very  much  chagrined  with  his  miserable  attempt  to  preach, 


154  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


and  as  soon  as  possible  mounted  his  horse  and  rode  away,  heart- 
ily glad  that  no  one  knew  him,  and  never  expecting  to  hear  of 
the  affair  again. 

In  the  Spring  of  1827  Saylor  preached  in  a  cabin  near  Co- 
lumbus, and  after  services  remained  there  for  the  night.  The 
family,  with  the  preacher,  and  an  elderly  lady,  who  was  also  a 
guest,  gathered  around  the  blazing  fire  by  the  open  hearth,  for  a 
friendly  conversation,  whereupon  the  lady,  who  appeared  to  be 
in  very  delicate  health,  remarked  to  the  preacher,  "Brother  Say- 
lor, I  had  appointed  you  to  preach  my  funeral  sermon.  I  was 
very  sick  and  expected  to  die,  and  told  my  friends  to  bury  me 
privately,  and  when  you  came  around  you  should  then  preach  the 
funeral  sermon."  This  astonished  Saylor  very  much,  and  he 
knew  that  there  must  be  some  secret  motive  for  this  strange 
request.  So  he  asked,  "Why  did  you  make  such  arrangements? 
Why  appoint  me  in  preference  to  my  colleague"  (C.  Kring)  ? 
"Well,  I  will  tell  you,"  said  she.  "Last  year  I  lived  near 
Wooster.  I  am  a  poor  widow,  and  while  I  lived  there  I  lost  my 
daughter  by  death.  I  was  slighted  by  my  minister,  who  paid  no 
attention  to  me,  because  I  was  poor.  I  could  not  bear  to  have 
my  daughter  buried  without  a  funeral  service.  A  young  circuit 
preacher,  who  was  passing  by,  was  asked  to  come  in  and  preach 
the  sermon,  and  under  that  sermon  I  and  my  whole  family  were 
led  to  the  Saviour."  "But,"  said  Saylor,  "why  did  you  appoint 
me. "  "  Why, "  said  the  widow,  "because  you  look  just  like  that 
man."  "What  was  his  text?"  said  Saylor.  The  woman  re- 
peated it.  "Why,  I  am  that  preacher,"  said  S.  Whereupon 
the  woman  arose,  and  falling  upon  the  neck  of  the  preacher,  wept 
aloud  for  joy  and  gratitude. 

What  an  encouragement  this  is  for  the  servant  of  God,  who 
often  feels  ashamed  of  his  feeble  attempts  to  preach  the  Gospel ! 
"Cast  thy  bread  upon  the  waters:  for  thou  shalt  find  it  after  many 
days"  (Eccl.  xi.  i). 

In  1826,  when  the  work  in  Ohio  still  consisted  of  two  circuits, 
that  good  man  Joseph  Long,  who  afterwards  became  an  honored 
bishop  of  the  Church,  was  appointed  to  the  consolidated  Mans- 
field and  Canton  Circuit.  He  had  as  colleague  Francis  Hoff- 
man, a  young  man  recently  converted  at  the  great  revival  at 
Orwigsburg,  Pa.  He  had  already  traveled  as  a  supply  on  Schuyl- 
kill Circuit,  in  his  native  State,  so  that  he  was  in  some  measure 
inured  to  the  hardships  of  an  itinerant's  life.   One  thing,  however, 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


155 


gave  him  deep  concern,  and  sometimes  unsettled  his  mind  with 
regard  to  his  future  course — an  oft  recurring  doubt  as  to  his 
call  ito  the  ministry.  On  one  occasion  his  appointment  was  at 
the  house  of  Rev.  John  Shilling,  in  Wayne  county.  The  fol- 
lowing day  he  started  for  the  next  appointment,  some  twelve  or 
fourteen  miles  distant.  He  had  not  proceeded  far  until  his  old 
doubts,  as  to  his  calling,  returned  with  unusual  force.  A  great 
conflict  began  to  wage  within  his  breast.  After  a  long  and  severe 
struggle,  he  turned  his  horse  in  the  direction  of  Pennsylvania. 
This  was  the  crucial  moment  of  his  life.  With  his  horse  turned 
away  from  his  appointment,  he  hesitated  an  instant,  when,  sud- 
denly, a  voice  spake  to  his  soul:  "Go  to  your  appointment." 
This  was  unmistakably  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and  the  young  man 
fully  realized  its  significance.  He,  therefore,  raised  his  heart  to 
God  in  earnest  prayer  for  further  guidance  in  this  matter.  He 
again  turned  his  horse  in  the  direction  of  his  appointment,  and 
made  a  solemn  covenant  with  God.  The  agreement  on  his  part 
was  that  he  would  go  to  his  appointment  and  do  the  best  he  could, 
and  the  Lord  should  on  His  part,  give  him  that  night  as  a  seal  to 
his  calling  at  least  one  soul.  Once  more  he  started  and  the  ap- 
pointment was  reached  in  due  season.  At  the  house  he  met  Rev. 
John  Dayhoff,  one  of  the  early  preachers,  and  a  most  powerful 
speaker.  This  somewhat  discouraged  Hoffman,  and  he  urged 
Dayhoff  to  preach  for  him,  but  he  refused,  telling  him  that  it 
would  not  do,  as  the  people  would  expect  to  hear  the  new  preacher. 

While  the  people  were  gathering  in  the  house  for  service, 
young  Hoffman  sought  the  seclusion  of  a  chamber,  where  he 
betook  himself  to  prayer.  With  fear  and  trembling  he  entered 
the  room,  which  was  crowded  with  expectant  people,  some  of 
whom  had  come  many  miles  to  hear  him.  Immediately  in  front 
of  the  table  which  served  as  a  pulpit  was  a  bench,  on  which  sat 
six  fine  looking  young  women.  When  the  preacher  arose  to  an- 
nounce his  hymn  he  was  so  overcome  by  his  feelings  that  he 
could  scarcely  read  it.  In  his  prayer  which  followed  he  lost  all 
sight  of  self,  and  with  a  heart  almost  breaking,  besought  the 
Lord  to  set  his  seal  to  the  covenant  made  that  day.  After  an- 
other hymn  was  sung,  the  young  man  arose  and  announced  his 
text  with  a  voice  tremulous  with  emotion.  In  the  name  of  Jesus 
he  began  his  discourse.  After  speaking  but  a  short  time  a  pen- 
tecostal  wave  swept  over  the  assembly.  One  of  the  young  women 
in  front  of  him  cried  out  in  a  loud  voice,  "I  am  lost !  I  am  lost !" 


156  mANQELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


With  this  heart  rending  cry,  she  fell  upon  her  knees  to  implore 
God's  mercy.  She  was  immediately  followed  by  her  companion 
by  her  side.  The  others  on  the  seat  also  bowed,  one  after  an- 
other, until  all  six  were  pleading  for  salvation.  This  brought  the 
sermon  to  an  abrupt  close.  The  arrow  of  conviction  had  been 
driven  home  to  many  other  hearts.  In  all  parts  of  the  room  the 
cries  of  penitent  souls  arose,  mingled  with  the  triumphant  shouts 
of  the  saved.  It  was,  indeed,  a  great  victory.  Many  people 
were  converted,  who  afterwards  became  prominent  members  of 
the  Church. 

After  this  meeting,  Davhoff,  to  whom  Hoffman  had  narrated 
his  great  struggle  and  the  covenant  of  the  previous  day,  put  him 
on  his  guard  by  telling  him  that  now  the  tempter  would  seek  more 
powerfully  than  ever  to  discourage  him.  True  to  the  prediction, 
the  spirit  of  doubt  again  sought  to  unsettle  his  convictions  of 
duty,  but  the  same  divine  voice  that  spake  to  him  when  he  was 
discouraged  on  the  way,  now  spake  to  him  again.  This  time  it 
said,  "Remember  your  covenant."  This  forever  settled  all 
doubt.  The  young  man  rose  to  great  eminence  and  usefulness 
in  the  Church,  and  became  one  of  its  chief  pillars.  For  sixty 
years  he  stood  in  the  front  ranks  of  the  itinerancy  and  was  given 
the  most  responsible  offices  and  positions  within  the  gift  of  his 
conference  (East  Pennsylvania).  In  1886  he  retired  from  active 
work,  whereupon  his  conference  adopted  suitable  resolutions  in 
regard  to  his  long  and  useful  ministry. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


ON  THE  PRAIRIES. 

Extensive  Emigration  of  Evangelicals  to  Illinois  and 
Indiana — Missionary  Work  of  Jacob  Boas,  and  Estab- 
lishment OF  Societies. 

In  1834  a  young  German,  named  Daniel  Stanger,  migrated 
from  Warren,  Pa.,  to  Cook  county,  Illinois.  He  had  been  con- 
verted the  previous  year  under  the  ministry  of  John  Sevbert, 
and  was  a  member  of  the  Church.  He  was  unmarried,  with  no 
means  other  than  a  brave  heart,  willing  hands,  and  trust  in  God. 
A  good  part  of  the  distance  from  Warren  to  his  new  home  he 
traveled  on  foot.  Near  Des  Plains  he  secured  a  fine  body  of 
kind,  on  which  he  erected  a  dwelling  house  soon  after  his  arrival. 
Through  correspondence  with  his  Warren  friends  he  induced 
Jacob  Kreihnbill,  J.  G.  Esher,  J.  Arnold,  and  another  young 
man  to  join  him  in  1836.  These  at  once  saw  the  superior  advan- 
tages of  this  region  over  the  rough  and  unproductive  lands  o( 
their  Pennsylvania  homes.  Their  glowing  description  of  the 
beauty  and  fertility  of  the  West  created  a  general  desire  among 
the  Warren  people  to  remove  thither.  Accordingly,  in  the  Spring 
of  1837,  a  large  number,  nearly  all  members  of  the  Church,  re- 
moved to  Illinois  in  a  body.  Among  them  were  the  families  of 
Schallv,  Ott,  Trier,  Strubler,  Martin  and  Jacob  Esher, 
Wirth,  Gross,  Knopf,  Schuler,  Arnet,  and  Rink.  They 
settled  into  three  colonies,  the  larger  number  remaining  in  the 
vicinity  of  Des  Plains,  another  party  going  to  Naperville,  about 
thirty  miles  distant,  and  the  third  party  to  Henry  county. 

Near  Mt.  Carmel,  Wabash  county,  lived  John  Butz,  who 
about  1830  had  removed  thither  from  Lehigh  county,  Pa.  When 
the  great  revival  took  place  in  Cedar  Creek  Valley,  Lehigh  county, 


158 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


he  returned  with  his  family,  and  they  were  converted  there.  In 
1837  they  returned  with  others  to  their  old  home  in  Illinois. 
Our  first  missionaries  soon  found  John  Butz,  and  his  house  be- 
came one  of  our  first  preaching  places  in  Illinois,  and  one  of  the 
first  classes  was  formed  here.* 

Our  people  in  the  far  AVest  were  without  pastors,  which  they 
deeply  lamented,  and  many  prayers  ascended  to  the  chief  Shep- 
herd that  pastors  might  be  sent  to  minister  to  the  needs  of  the 
scattered  members. 

Immediately  after  their  arrival  in  Illinois  our  Evangelical 
members  organized  themselves  into  classes,  the  first  at  Des 
Plains,  in  June,  1837;  the  second  at  Naperville,  soon  after;  the 
third  on  Rock  River,  Henry  county,  and  from  the  following  ex- 
tract of  a  letter  from  J.  Butz,  Mount  Carmel,  111.,  June  21,1837, 
published  in  the  Botschafter,  it  is  evident  that  an  organization 
existed  in  Wabash  county :  "Thus  I  am  like  a  solitary  bird  upon 
the  roof,  and  meet  with  sore  opposition,  but  the  Lord  has  been 
with  us  thus  far.  Three  souls  have  already  been  converted  to 
God,  who  were  awakened  through  our  instrumentality.  Two  of 
whom  obtained  peace  in  our  prayer-meetings."  So  far  as  known, 
these  were  the  first  conversions  through  the  instrumentality  of 
our  people  in  the  State. 

In  the  midsummer  of  1837  Jacob  Boas,  a  young  energetic 
Pennsylvanian,  then  in  charge  of  Miami  Circuit,  Ohio,  received 
directions  from  his  presiding  elder,  Henry  Niebel,  to  proceed 
to  Illinois,  to  look  after  our  members  in  that  State  and  minister 
to  their  needs.  The  year  previous  Boas  had  traveled  Erie  Cir- 
cuit, Pa.,  and  had  promised  the  Warren  friends  that  in  case  they 
removed  to  the  West  he  would  endeavor  to  visit  them.  He  now 
proceeded  not  only  to  carry  out  the  directions  of  his  presiding 
elder,  but  also  to  fulfil  his  promise.  The  distance  was  many 
hundred  miles,  across  bridgeless  streams  and  trackless  prairies. 
He  often  lost  his  way  amid  the  tall  grass,  which  almost  hid  him 

•In  1845  another  colony  of  Evangelicals  emigrated  from  Cedar  Creek  Val- 
ley, Lehigh  county,  Pa.,  to  Illinois,  consisting  of  the  following,  all  of  whom 
were  heads  of  families :  Amos  and  Aaron  Butz,  Solomon  and  Edwaru 
Mertz,  John  Drissler,  John  Neitz,  Joseph  Roth,  Daniel  Keck,  Peter  a«d 
Chas.  Fehr,  REiJBENand  Ephrim  Hauser.Chas.Guth,  and  Geo.  Steimnger. 
In  1846  Charles  Butz,  Simon  Strauss,  Adam  Gaser,  and  Philip  Rass- 
WEILER.  Most  of  the  above  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Naperville,  111.  The 
journey  \nc&  made  in  covered  wagons,  and  required  several  weeks,  during  which 
time  they  had  their  prayer  and  class-meetings  on  the  way  as  usual. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


159 


from  view.  The  weather  was  intensely  hot,  and  his  horse,  in 
addition  to  being  utterly  jaded,  was  tormented  by  a  peculiar  fly 
which  almost  drove  the  poor  animal  mad.  He  was  once  com- 
pelled to  stop  a  day  or  two  for  rest  to  both  man  and  beast.  Be- 
fore starting  again  a  kind-hearted  blacksmith  procured  netting, 
with  which  he  completely  enveloped  the  animal,  and  with  this 
queer  rig  he  entered  Chicago,  then  but  a  small  town,  on  July  23. 
Here  he  visited  a  number  of  members,  and  the  next  day  resumed 
his  journey  to  Des  Plains.  Upon  his  arrival  an  appointment  was 
made  for  him  immediately  at  the  house  of  Daniel  Stanger,  the 
pioneer  of  the  colony.  His  coming  was  an  occasio  of  great  joy 
to  our  people,  and  the  service  was  one  of  great  power  and  tri- 
umph. The  preacher's  text  was  John  xvi.  22.  After  a  brief 
rest  Boas  proceeded  to  Naperville,  where  he  also  preached. 

The  following  September  the  first  quarterly  meeting  was  held 
under  a  large  oak  tree,  on  the  banks  of  the  Des  Plains  River, 
near  Wheeling.  Here  Boas  preached  to  a  large  concourse  of 
people,  many  of  whom  had  come  a  great  distance  in  wagons. 
During  this  meeting  the  first  quarterly  conference  was  held,  and 
Boas  ratified  the  organization  of  the  classes  and  the  election  of 
officers  prior  to  his  arrival.  This  meeting  was  a  season  of  grace 
and  great  rejoicing,  and  a  number  of  souls  were  converted. 
Boas  remained  in  Illinois  until  Christmas,  when  he  returned  to 
his  charge  in  Ohio.  There  were  now  upwards  of  seventy  mem- 
bers in  Illinois,  for  whose  Denefit  a  circuit  was  formed  at  the  fol- 
lowing session  of  the  Western  Conference  in  March,  1838,  and 
P.  WiEST  was  appointed  the  first  regular  pastor,  who  took  charge 
of  the  field  the  following  September. 

When  John  Seybert  was  presiding  elder  of  Caanan  District, 
Eastern  Conference,  just  before  his  election  as  bishop  in  1839, 

Note. — As  the  histories  hitherto  published  give  the  residence  of  Jacob 
ESHER,  Sr.,  as  the  place  where  the  first  sermon  was  preached,  it  is  due  to  the 
memory  of  the  sainted  Father  Stanger  that  this  correction  should  be  made. 
The  fact  is  that  Esher  had  but  recently  arrived  from  Warren,  Pa.,  and  at  this 
time  was  living  with  Stanger,  as  he  had  not  yet  built  a  house  for  himself.  The 
above  facts  appeared  in  the  biography  of  Stanger  in  the  Botschafter  in  1878, 
and  were  never  refuted.  Bishop  Esher  himself  seemed  anxious  to  correct  this 
error,  as  he  wrote  :  "The  first  sermon  was  preached  in  Brother  D.  Stanger 's 
house,  with  whom  my  father  lived  at  that  time  "  [^Botschafter,  Dec.  15,  1869). 
In  a  historical  address  which  he  delivered  in  1887,  at  Des  Plains,  commemor- 
ative of  the  semi-centennial  of  the  establishment  of  the  society  there,  he  made 
the  same  statement. 


160 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


he  spoke  at  a  meeting,  in  Centre  county,  Pa.,  of  the  advantages 
and  desirability  of  Illinois  as  a  place  for  emigrants,  and  many 
people  became  enthusiastic  to  remove  thither  as  soon  as  possible. 
They  informed  Seybert  of  their  intention,  and  as  nearly  all  were 
members  of  the  Church,  they  were,  at  his  suggestion  and  under 
his  direction,  organized  as  a  class,with  Conrad  Epplev  as  leader, 
and  William  Weirick  exhorter.  Besides  the  above  were  John 
FoLGATE,  James  McKee,  John  Rockey,  George  Riegel,  Dinah 
AuMAN  (widow),  and  Henry  Zerby,  all,  save  the  last,  having 
families,  most  of  whom  were  members  of  the  Church.  The  entire 
colony,  numbering  forty-eight  souls,  left  their  homes  along  Penn's 
Creek,  Pa.,  in  April,  1839,  and  started  for  Stephenson  county, 
111.,  over  a  thousand  miles  away.  Their  conveyances  were  large 
covered  wagons.  The  journey  was  slow  and  tiresome,  yet  they 
did  not  neglect  their  means  of  grace,  but  had  many  blessed 
prayer-meetings  on  the  way.  They  settled  in  and  around  Cedar- 
ville,  six  miles  north  of  Freeport. 

The  first  Evangelical  preacher  who  visited  them  was  John 
LuTZ,  of  whose  visit  the  following  report  appeared  in  the  Bot- 
schafter,  dated  March  28,  1840:  "By  order  of  our  bishop  and 
Brother  Zinzer,  I  traveled  last  December  to  Illinois,  and  since 
then  explored  several  counties,  and  also  made  a  visit  to  Wiscon- 
sin territory,  and  found  many  Germans,  who  were  hungering  for 
the  Bread  of  Life.  I  preached  as  much  as  I  possibly  could,  and 
the  people  received  the  Word,  with  tears  rolling  down  their 
cheeks.  For  want  of  time  I  could  not  stay  anywhere  as  long  as 
I  desired,  with  the  exception  of  Brothers  Eppley's  and  Fol- 
gate's,  in  Stephenson  county,  where  I  stayed,  providentially,  I 
believe,  longer  than  I  had  intended.  I  had  preached  a  number 
of  times  in  that  vicinity,  and  only  one  soul  was  brought  from 
death  to  life,  whereupon  I  took  my  departure.  I  did  not  go  far 
however;  my  heart  felt  for  the  people,  and  my  mind  became  un- 
easy, so  that  after  traveling  eight  or  nine  miles;  I  could  go  no 
further,  but  turned  my  horse  about,  returned  again,  and  gave  out 
appointments.  The  people  streamed  together  to  hear  the  Word 
of  God,  and  God  laid  His  hand  to  the  work,  and  there  was  a 
shaking  among  the  dry  bones,  so  that  in  a  short  time  some 
twenty  were  seeking,  of  whom  twelve  were  hopefully  converted, 
and  rejoiced  in  the  living  God  of  their  salvation.  Others  stand 
near  the  narrow  way,  who  will  doubtless  soon  enter,  and  with  the 
others  journey  heavenward." 


% 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


161 


This  was  the  first  considerable  revival  in  our  work  in  Illinois ; 
the  settlement  soon  constituted  a  separate  charge ;  and  the  mem- 
bership greatly  increased  in  a  short  time  by  additional  arrivals 
from  Pennsylvania. 

In  the  Spring  of  1839  Lewis  Einsel  was  appointed  to  the 
work  in  Illinois.  One  of  his  first  official  acts  was  the  dedication, 
June  20,  1839,  of  the  first  church  of  the  Evangelical  Association 
in  the  State,  a  small  log  building,  located  at  Des  Plains. 

During  this  year  Einsel  began  to  preach  in  Chicago,  being 
the  first  preacher  of  our  Church  to  labor  there.  His  work  being 
interrupted  by  illness,  John  Lutz  was  sent  to  his  assistance  in 
December.  During  Fall  and  Winter  the  work  was  greatly  strength- 
ened. Lutz  visited  tne  Cedarville  settlement  repeatedly,  and 
also  did  pioneer  work  in  the  vicinity  of  Milwaukee,  Wis.  In 
May,  1840,  he  and  Einsel  started  for  the  session  of  the  Ohio 
Conference,  where  they  reported  a  membership  of  ninety-three 
in  Illinois.  At  this  time  the  work  in  Illinois  was  divided.  Des 
Plains,  Naperville,  Chicago,  and  other  places,  constituted  a  field 
called  Illinois  Circuit,  to  which  Isaac  Hoffer  and  Daniel  Kern 
were  appointed,  while  northwestern  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  were 
formed  into  Illinois  Mission,  to  which  John  Lutz  was  appointed. 
He  organized  a  class  near  Milwaukee.  Hoffer  and  Kern 
preached  in  private  houses  and  shops  in  various  parts  of  Chicago, 
and  organized  a  class  there.  During  this  year  the  Illinois  work 
was  visited  for  the  first  time  by  a  presiding  elder,  J.  G.  Zinzer, 
with  whose  district  the  charges  were  connected. 

In  1 841  the  name  of  Illinois  Circuit  was  changed  to  Des 
Plains  Circuit,  and  assigned  to  Adam  Stroh  and  Christian 
Lintner.  Isaac  Hoffer  was  appointed  to  Illinois  Mission. 
Both  charges  prospered.  A  regular  preaching  place  was  secured 
in  the  Chicago  City  Hall,  corner  Clark  and  Randolph  Streets, 
greatly  to  the  advantage  of  the  work.  A  successful  revival  fol- 
lowed, and  the  class  was  greatly  strengthened.  The  accessions 
on  the  charge  were  upwards  of  100,  and  the  total  membership  at 
the  close  of  the  year  was  186. 

In  July,  1841,  the  first  camp-meeting  of  the  Association  in 
Illinois  was  held  on  the  land  of  Jacob  Esher,  two  miles  south- 
east of  Wheeling,  Cook  county,  and  about  twenty  miles  north- 
west of  Chicago.  On  Monday,  July  12,  Bishop  Sevbert  arrived 
among  the  friends,  twelve  miles  north  of  Chicago.  This  was  his 
first  visit  and  was  unexpected,  but  an  appointment  was  made  for 


162 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


him,  and  he  preached  the  same  evening  from  Luke  xi.  28.  On 
July  15,  the  camp-meeting  began.  The  preachers  present,  be- 
sides the  bishop,  were  Adam  Stroh,  Christian  Lintner  and 
Isaac  Hoffer.  There  were  eighteen  tents  on  the  grounds, 
mostly  occupied  by  two  or  more  families.  Many  had  come 
great  distances,  some  on  foot  not  less  than  seventy  miles.  The 
meeting  closed  after  a  season  of  great  grace  and  victory. 

At  the  quarterly  conference  connected  with  the  camp-meeting 
a  young  brother  named  Christian  Ebinger  was  received  as  a 
preacher  on  probation,  and  was  the  first  one  admitted  into  the 
ministry  of  our  Church  in  Illinois. 

From  the  camp-meeting  Bishop  Seybert  proceeded  to  Naper- 
ville,  where  he  preached;  thence  about  125  miles  to  Illinois 
Mission,  where  he  arrived  July  28,  at  Conrad  Epply's,  on  Cedar 
Creek ;  a  few  days  later  attended  a  quarterly  meeting  at  J.  Fal- 
get's,  then  returned  to  Des  Plains,  and  thence  proceeded  east- 
ward. This  visit  greatly  impressed  the  bishop  with  the  great 
resources  of  the  West  and  the  bright  prospects  of  the  Evangelical 
Association  in  that  region. 

In  1842  Mt.  Carmel  Mission,  (partly  in  Indiana)  was  consti- 
tuted and  assigned  to  Christian  Augenstein.  Illinois  Mission 
was  changed  to  Rock  River  Mission,  with  Levi  Heiss  and  Daniel 
Kern  in  charge,  while  Des  Plains  Circuit  was  served  by  Fred 
Wahl  and  G.  A.  Blank.  A  camp-meeting  was  held  on  Mt. 
Carmel  Mission,  on  the  land  of  P.  Dundore.  At  the  close  of 
this  prosperous  year  the  membership  numbered  upwards  of  100. 

In  1843  Illinois  was  constituted  the  fifth  district  of  the  Ohio 
Conference,  with  appointments  as  follows  :  Saml.  Baumgardner, 
P.  E. ;  ( I )  Des  Plains  Circuit,  Ch.  Kopp  5(2)  Rock  River  Circuit, 
Levi  Heiss  and  J.  G.  Miller;  (3)  Chicago  Mission,  (new) 
Fred  Wahl;  (4)  Milwaukee  Mission,  Wis.,  Mathias  Hauert. 
This  was  another  very  successful  year.  Presiding  Elder  Baum- 
gardner moved  with  his  family  to  Des  Plains  in  June,  so  that 
he  could  serve  the  district  to  better  advantage. 

On  Rock  River  Circuit  Heiss  met  with  great  success.  He 
organized  a  class  of  thirty-three  members  at  Peoria.  At  Free- 
port  also  a  beginning  was  made,  C.  J.  Mease  having  moved 
thither  from  Centre  county,  Pa.,  the  previous  year.  On  Mil- 
waukee Mission  a  church  edifice  was  commenced.  At  Naper- 
ville  a  church  was  dedicated,  which  was  the  second  of  our  society  in 
Illinois.    This  was  followed  by  another  in  Chicago  the  same  year. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


168 


In  this  city  the  Canal  Company  donated  to  the  society  a  lot  on 
the  corner  of  Washington  and  Wabash  Avenues,  on  which  a  frame 
edifice  was  erected.  This  was  the  first  German  Protestant  church 
in  Chicago.  In  1846  a  parsonage  was  erected  here,  which  was 
the  first  of  our  society  in  Illinois. 

BeKlnulttg  of  the  Work  in  Indiana.  Our  work  in  In- 
diana began  October,  1835,  when  the  first  general  meeting  was 
held  at  Abbington,  in  the  southern  part  of  Wayne  county,  at 
which  Rev.  J.  G.  Zinzer  was  present.  There  were  then,  so  far 
as  known,  but  three  members  of  the  Church  in  the  State.  In 
1835  Henry  Ehrhart  removed  from  Pennsylvania  to  German- 
town,  Ind.  John  Dill,  from  the  same  State,  lived  in  this  vicinity. 
In  1836  the  second  general  meeting  was  held  at  the  house  of  one 
of  these  brethren,  at  which  time  there  were  twelve  members  in 
the  State.  From  this  time  Germantown  was  regularly  served, 
and  became  an  Evangelical  stronghold.  The  work  in  the  begin- 
ning was  connected  with  Miami  Circuit,  of  the  Western  Confer- 
ence. It  developed  so  rapidly  that  a  separate  charge  was  con- 
stituted in  a  few  years.  Soon  after  the  commencement  of  the 
work  at  Germantown,  appointments  were  also  established  at 
Dubois  and  Mt.  Carniel,  in  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  State, 
which  were  for  many  years  Evangelical  strongholds.  In  1840 
the  Miami  Circuit  embraced  appointments  in  fifteen  counties,  six 
in  Ohio  and  nine  in  Indiana,  and  this  great  field,  requiring  eight 
weeks  to  complete  a  "round,"  was  served  by  two  men. 

In  1 84 1  the  work  in  Indiana  was  divided,  the  appointments 
in  the  eastern  part  of  the  State  constituting  White  Water  Circuit, 
and  the  central  work  of  Wayne  Mission.  At  the  close  of  the  year 
the  former  numbered  ninety-one  members  and  the  latter  thirty- 
two,  with  one  class  organized.  In  1842  Mt.  Carmel  Mission 
was  established  in  southeastern  Illinois,  whose  bounds  extended 

Biographical  Notes. — John  Dill  was  born  in  Berks  county.  Pa.,  Dec. 
21,  1800,  and  removed  to  Indiana  in  1822.  He  was  one  of  the  first  members  of 
the  Church  in  Indiana,  and  the  first  camp-meeting  was  held  on  his  land.  He 
was  one  of  the  chief  instruments  in  the  erection  of  the  first  church.  He  was 
industrious,  economical,  very  liberal,  and  made  handsome  bequests  to  the  vari- 
ous interests  of  the  Church.    His  death  occurred  Oct.  30,  1868. 

Henry  Ehrhart  was  bom  in  York  county.  Pa.,  and  converted  in  1828. 
He  removed  to  Germantown,  Indiana,  in  1835,  where  he  became  one  of  the  first 
members,  and  the  first  Evangelical  class-leader  in  the  State.  He  was  a  pillar  in 
the  Church,  and  a  true  father  in  Israel.  He  died  June  9,  1882,  aged  eighty-two 
years,  three  months  and  sixteen  days. 


164  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


into  Indiana.  On  Nov.  8  the  missionaries  began  a  meeting  in 
Dubois  county,  which  resulted  in  some  conversions  and  the  in- 
gathering of  twenty-two  members.  The  year  following  a  camp- 
meeting  was  held  in  this  county.  The  work  continued  to  flourish 
especially  in  the  vicinity  of  Huntingburgh,  where  a  strong  con- 
gregation was  established.  Soon  after  this,  that  part  of  Mt. 
Carmel  Mission  in  Indiana  was  constituted  Dubois  Mission.  In 
1843  the  fields  of  labor  in  Indiana,  including  Mt.  Carmel  Mis- 
sion (partly  in  Illinois),  were  constituted  a  presiding  elder 
district.  In  1844  the  district  embraced  White  Water,  Elkhart, 
Mt.  Carmel,  St.  Mary's,  and  Dubois  charges. 

The  first  Evangelical  camp-meeting  in  Indiana  was  held  on 
the  land  of  John  Dill,  near  Germantown,  beginning  August  31, 
1840.  On  the  last  day  of  the  meeting  a  great  crowd  of  ill  dis- 
posed people  came  to  make  disturbance.  They  first  engaged  in 
a  mock  battle  with  knives  and  clubs,  some  distance  from  the 
camp,  to  draw  the  people  away.  Failing  in  this,  they  made  an 
attack  upon  the  people  in  the  inclosure,  where  many  penitents 
were  at  the  altar  engaged  in  prayer.  A  great  disturbance  fol- 
lowed, and  some  were  injured.  The  camp-meeting  people  did 
not  resort  to  violence  to  repel  the  attack,  which  gained  for  them 
the  praise  and  favor  of  all  well  disposed  citizens.  Camp-meet- 
ings were  held  for  many  years  thereafter  at  Dill's,  and  many 
souls  were  saved  there. 

The  first  Evangelical  church  in  the  State  was  built  at  Ger- 
mantown, and  dedicated  Jan.  i,  1844.  The  second  was  built  at 
Huntingburg,  and  dedicated  Sept.  14,  1845.  Another  was  dedi- 
cated near  Germantown,  Oct.  31,  1847. 

We  have  now,  in  a  general  way,  noted  the  establishment  and 
development  of  the  Evangelical  Association  during  the  first  half 
century  of  her  existence.  The  reader  will  hardly  fail  to  note  the 
many  striking  manifestations  of  Divine  Providence  as  our  early 
preachers  advanced  the  work,  step  by  step,  from  its  birthplace 
in  Pennsylvania  to  the  distant  West,  and  from  thence  spreading 
in  all  directions.  The  story  of  the  onward  march  of  the  Church 
to  the  Gulf  on  the  south,  to  the  Pacific  on  the  west,  to  Europe 
and  the  Orient,  will  be  found  in  a  subsequent  part  of  this  work. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


The  Distinctive  Features  of  the  Evangelical 
Association. 

The  Doctrines  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  as  set  forth 
in  her  book  of  Discipline,  are  preeminently  orthodox.  Her  gen- 
eral views  on  the  subject  of  the  Atonement  and  Christian  Perfec- 
tion are  Wesleyan  in  expression,  and  in  substantially  the  same 
language  as  set  forth  by  that  eminent  divine.  The  founders  of 
the  Evangelical  Association,  however,  while  not  indifferent  to  the 
great  importance  of  a  system  of  clear  and  well  defined  Christian 
doctrine,  nevertheless  gave  more  attention  to  the  practical  side 
of  religion.  Evangelization  was  the  watchword.  The  one  great 
and  burning  desire  of  our  early  evangelists  was  to  bring  sinners 
to  Christ.  The  moral  condition  of  the  people,  with  whom  our 
early  preachers  came  in  contact,  demanded  special  emphasis  of 
the  practical  and  experimental  side  of  religion.  This  was  the 
standpoint  and  the  mission  of  the  founders  of  the  Association, 
and  was  maintained  by  their  successors.  The  great  success 
which  has  ever  attended  her  ministry  in  this  direction  is  ample 
proof  that  the  Evangelical  Association  is  a  child  of  Providence. 
Without  this  predominating  aim  —  evangelization  —  which  is  a 
true  apostolic  spirit,  there  would  be  no  good  reasons  for  her 
existence. 

The  Episcopacy.  The  episcopal  polity  of  the  Association 
is  characteristic,  and  is  the  result  of  development  and  adaptation 
to  the  requirements  of  her  work.  While  in  some  respects  her 
polity  is  identical  with  some  of  her  sister  denominations,  in  others 
it  is  widely  divergent.  This  difference  is  perhaps  nowhere  so 
noticeable  as  in  her  views  on  the  episcopacy.  It  is  sometimes 
held  that  the  Evangelical  Association  is  nearly,  if  not  altogether, 
identical  in  faith  and  government  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal 


166  *  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Church,  from  which  she  is  erroneously  held  to  have  originated. 
In  respect  to  faith  there  is  no  essential  difference,  the  difference 
in  polity,  however,  is  very  apparent  by  a  comparison  of  the  char- 
acter and  functions  of  the  episcopacy.  The  episcopacy  in  the 
Evangelical  Association  is  noi  an  order.  The  bishops  are  not 
ordained,  but  elected  to  the  office  only,  and  their  tenure  of  office 
is  not  for  life,  but  limited  to  four  years,  unless  they  are  re-elected 
by  the  General  Conference.  In  the  character  of  the  episcopal 
powers  also  the  difference  is  very  marked.  The  bishops  of  the 
Evangelical  Association  do  not,  as  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  possess  the  power  of  fixing  the  times  of  the  annual  con- 
ference sessions,  changing  or  transferring  preachers,  appointing 
presiding  elders  to  their  offices  and  districts,  and  the  preachers 
to  their  respective  charges,  changing  and  fixing  the  bounds  of 
presiding  elder  districts,  and  interpreting  the  laws  of  the  Church 
in  the  intervals  of  the  General  Conference.  This  great  differ- 
ence, as  already  indicated,  was  the  result  of  mature  deliberation, 
covering  many  years.  There  was  no  bishop  elected,  in  the  proper 
sense  of  the  word,  until  1839,  yet  prior  to  that  time  provisions 
were  made  for  that  office,  with  a  steady  tendency  to  limit  more 
and  more  the  powers  already  conferred.  This  long  delay  in 
electing  a  bishop,  extending  from  the  death  of  Albright,  in 
i8o8,  to  the  election  of  John  Sevbert,  in  1839,  undoubtedly  had 
its  grounds  in  an  apprehension  that  the  office  would  be  perverted 
to  the  injury  of  the  society. 

Our  forefathers  had  ample  opportunity  of  knowing  the  danger 
arising  from  vesting  unrestricted  authority  in  the  hands  of  an 
aristocratic  prelacy.  While  the  episcopacy  of  modern  times  is 
more  circumscribed  in  its  powers,  they  nevertheless  felt  that  the 
best  interests  of  the  Church  would  be  subserved  by  making  the 
office  simply  administrative.  Hence  it  follows  that  if  the  day 
should  ever  come,  in  the  history  of  the  Evangelical  Association, 
that  a  bishop  should  cause  disquietude  by  the  undue  exercise  of 
authority,  it  may  at  once  be  considered  a  departure  from  the 
original  intent  and  spirit  of  the  fathers.  The  following  is  cor- 
roborative of  this  view : 

The  first  historian  of  the  Church  says,  in  reference  to  the 
action  of  the  General  Conference  on  the  episcopacy,  in  1839: 
"This  conference  limited  also  very  materially  the  power  of  the 
bishops,  especially  with  regard  to  the  appointment  of  the 
preachers,  and  their  transfer  from  one  place  to  another,  during 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


187 


the  interval  of  the  annual  conferences.  Heretofore  a  bishop  was 
authorized,  with  the  assistance  of  two  presiding  elders,  to  assign 
at  the  annual  conferences  both  to  the  presiding  elders  their  dis- 
tricts, and  to  the  preachers  their  circuits,  and  in  the  interval  of 
the  annual  conferences  to  transfer  both  the  presiding  elders  and 
preachers,  according  to  his  option.  Attempts  have  since  been 
made  to  restore  this  power  to  the  bishops,*  especially  with  regard 
to  the  transfer  of  preachers  from  one  conference  to  another,  but 
not  being  supported  by  a  constitutional  majority  (three-fourths) 
of  the  General  Conference,  it  proved  a  failure.  As,  however, 
the  connection  had  no  bishop  from  the  publication  of  its  Doc- 
trines and  Discipline  up  to  this  time,  this  power  vested  in  the 
bishop  was  never  exercised  by  an  incumbent.  But  as  this  con- 
ference elected  a  bishop,  it  was  therefore  considered  expedient 
to  circumscribe  his  power."    (Orwig,  page  259.) 

This  same  author,  who  himself  filled  the  episcopal  office,  fur- 
ther says  :  "The  episcopal  dignity  in  the  Ev.  Association,  how- 
ever, is  scarcely  enviable,  and  indeed  is  only  nominal.  *  *  * 
Of  his  power  in  the  society,  no  one  need  be  afraid,  as  it  is  in 
many  respects  far  more  limited  than  that  of  several  other  officers 
of  the  Church.  The  same  is  the  case  with  his  privileges.  At  the 
conference  he  has  to  act  as  Chairman,  without  expressing,  or 
even  intimating,  his  views  on  any  subject,  unless  he  is  requested 
to  do  so.  Neither  has  he  a  right  to  vote,  except  when  there  is  a 
tie."    (Page  373-74.) 

Similar  sentiments,  emanating  from  the  fathers  of  the  Church, 
might  be  adduced,  but  we  deem  the  foregoing  sufficient.  Our 
first  bishops  rarely  spoke  of  themselves  in  relation  to  the  dignity 
and  power  supposed  to  inhere  in  that  office,  but  preferred  to  re- 
gard themselves  rather  as  superintendents,  a  term  which  they 
frequently  employ  in  their  official  communications. 

♦Note. — At  the  session  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference  in  1855,  the  matter  of 
increasing  the  power  of  the  bishops  came  before  that  body,  with  the  view  of 
introducing  it  for  action  at  the  coming  General  Conference.  Bishop  Long,  who 
was  in  the  chair,  said  to  the  conference  prior  to  calling  the  vote,  "You  must 
remember,  first  of  all,  that  when  you  vote  power  to  men,  they  will  use  it.  This 
may  do,  as  long  as  you  have  Bishop  Seybert  and  myself  in  office,  but  you  will 
get  men  who  will  use  all  the  powers  you  give  them,  and  not  always  for  the  best 
interests  of  the  Church."  At  another  time,  in  reference  to  the  episcopacy,  this 
same  bishop  said,  "As  long  as  we  are  all  brethren,  I  will  go  along,  but  as  soon 
as  you  make  lords  and  servants,  then  I  cannot  go  with  you,  for  you  Qu.y  then 
look  out  for  trouble."    Prophetic  words ! 


168 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Book  of  Discipline.  We  deem  it  desirable  to  give  a  brief 
account  of  the  origin  and  development  of  the  book  of  Discipline 
in  order  to  show  more  clearly  the  development  of  the  polity  of 
the  Church.  Some  of  the  changes  noted  here,  with  others  not 
indicated,  may  be  found  in  the  General  Conference  transactions. 

Jacob  Albright,  the  founder  of  the  Association,  was  author- 
ized at  the  first  annual  conference,  held  in  1807,  to  formulate 
articles  of  faith  and  rules  of  government  for  the  use  of  the  society. 
The  undertaking,  however,  was  cut  short  by  his  death.  The 
conference  of  1809  entrusted  the  work  to  Rev.  George  Miller, 
who  at  once  proceeded  to  perform  this  duty.  He  published  the 
work  the  same  year,  at  his  own  expense.  It  contained  seventy- 
five  pages,  and  was  printed  at  Reading,  Pa.,  by  John  Ritter. 
The  following  is  a  translation  of  the  title  page : 

"Doctrines  of  Faith,  and  General  Rules  of  Christian  Church 
Discipline,  and  regulations  for  the  so-called  Albright  people, 
as  an  exposition  of  the  nature  and  purpose  of  their  union  with 
God,  and  among  themselves,  by  God's  grace,  to  work  out  their 
salvation,  and  to  live  and  walk  in  unity  of  faith  and  implicit 
obedience  to  such  rules,  according  to  the  Word  of  God.  On  the 
advice  of  the  elders  of  this  Evangelical  society  and  the  endorse- 
ment of  the  conference,  furnished  by  George  Miller,  Reading ; 
printed  by  John  Ritter  &  Co.,  for  the  Author,  1809." 

A  considerable  portion  of  this  work  was  taken  from  the  Ger- 
man edition  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Discipline.  While  the 
little  book  gave  directions  how  to  proceed  with  a  transgressing 
bishop,  it  contained  nothing  pertaining  to  his  election,  or  term 
of  office.  The  book,  however,  did  a  vast  amount  of  good  in  the 
society.  Miller  afterwards  drew  up  rules  and  regulations  for 
the  annual  conference,  and  in  181 2  he  was  authorized  to  formu- 
late a  plan  of  episcopal  government,  and  incorporate  the  whole 
in  a  revised  edition  of  the  Discipline.  His  health  was  very  pre- 
carious, and  he  did  not  live  to  complete  the  work. 

At  the  conference  of  18 16  John  Dreisbach  and  Henry 
NiEBEL  were  authorized  to  collect  the  materials  and  properly 
arrange  them,  and  supply  what  might  be  wanting.  This  second 
edition  of  the  Discipline  was  published  at  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  in 
181 7.  It  contained  provisions  for  the  election  of  a  bishop  from 
among  the  presiding  elders.  The  term  was  limited  to  four  years, 
and  re-election  not  restricted.  It  also  contained  a  formula  for 
ordaining  the  bishop.    The  General  Conference  of  1830  made 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


16» 


radical  changes  in  the  Discipline,  of  which  a  third  edition  ap- 
peared in  183 1.  It  contained  135  pages,  ten  less  than  the  pre- 
vious edition,  but  was  a  vast  improvement.  The  articles  of 
Faith  and  the  articles  on  Christian  Perfection  and  on  Temper- 
ance were  amplified,  and  improved  in  expression.  The  General 
Rules  were  abridged  and  improved.  The  annual  conference  was 
thereafter  to  be  composed  of  itinerants  only — local  preachers 
also  having  previously  been  members.  The  ordination  formula 
for  the  bishop  was  dropped ;  his  power  to  station  the  preachers, 
except  with  the  assistance  of  two  presiding  elders,  was  annulled, 
and  his  tenure  of  ofifice  limited  to  two  terms  of  four  years  each. 
John  Sevbert  and  Thomas  Buck  were  authorized  to  effect  the 
changes,  and  John  Dreisbach  and  Henry  Niebel  to  inspect  the 
book  before  its  publication. 

The  General  Conference  of  1839  also  made  material  changes 
and  additions.  For  the  changes  in  the  episcopacy  the  reader  is 
referred  to  the  article  on  the  Episcopacy.  This  conference  de- 
fined and  limited  the  scope  and  power  of  the  General  Conference, 
for  which  no  provisions  had  hitherto  been  made.  Orwig  says  r 
"Together  with  these  changes  of  the  Discipline,  some  more  were 
made,  and  a  number  of  new  clauses  and  rules  introduced,  espe- 
cially in  the  chapter  of  Temporal  Economy.  Of  these  new  laws 
and  rules,  the  following  are  the  most  important :  '  Of  selling  and 
using  spirituous  liquors,'  'of  slavery,'  the  above  mentioned  con- 
stitution or  rules  touching  the  powers  of  the  General  Conference, 
and  the  section  'of  the  support  of  missions.'"  (Orwig,  page 
260.) 

Other  great  changes  were  made,  from  time  to  time,  but  we 
deem  the  foregoing  sufficient  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  gen- 
eral character  and  development  of  the  Discipline,  which  is  the 
Constitution  of  the  Evangelical  Association. 

Proposed  Union  With  Other  Churches.  The  Evangel- 
ical Association  has  existed  for  a  period  of  almost  100  years,  and 
in  that  time  has  developed  features  and  peculiarities  which  are 
sufficient  to  indicate  her  distinctive  character  as  a  religious  de- 
nomination. In  the  earlier  part  of  her  history,  it  was  thought  by 
many,  that  the  Association  would  eventually  be  absorbed  by  one 
of  the  stronger  Methodistic  bodies,  or  a  union  would  be  formed 
with  one  of  the  weaker  ones.  Instead  of  this,  the  great  Head 
of  the  Church,  has  opened  new  channels  of  usefulness  for  the 
Association,  and  very  materially  strengthened  the  elements  of 


170  EVANGELICAL  A8S0C1A1I0N  ANNALS. 


perpetuity.  As  a  matter  of  historical  interest  we  will  note  a  few 
of  the  movements  looking  toward  a  union  of  the  Association  with 
other  denominations. 

On  August  2,  1810,  John  Dreisbach  met  Bishop  Asbury  and 
Rev.  Henry  Boehm,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  near 
Halifax,  Pa.  The  meeting  was  on  the  public  road,  and  acci- 
dental. After  conversing  on  minor  topics,  the  subject  of  a  union 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  came  under  consideration. 
The  character  of  the  conversation  may  be  inferred  from  the  fol- 
lowing account  from  Orwig's  history,  as  given  by  John  Dreis- 
bach himself : 

"The  bishop  made  me  a  very  liberal  and  respectable  offer, 
on  certain  conditions,  to  unite  with  his  Church.  I  was  to  with- 
draw from  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  go  with  them  to  Bal- 
timore to  attend  their  conference,  there  to  join  them,  and  to 
travel  a  year  with  Jacob  Gruber,  who  was  then  presiding  elder, 
for  the  purpose  of  better  acquainting  myself  with  the  English 
language,  wherein  Brother  G.  might  be  very  useful  to  me,  that 
I  might  then  be  able  to  preach  according  to  circumstances,  both 
in  English  and  in  German ;  and  I  was  to  receive  my  salary  as  if 
I  had  traveled  on  a  circuit,  etc.  Moreover,  the  bishop  remarked 
that,  by  being  able  to  preach  in  both  languages,  I  could  make 
myself  so  much  more  useful,  and  that  among  them  there  would 
be  less  dangar  of  my  becoming  self-conceited  and  falling  away, 
than  in  my  present  position.  But,  however  enticing  the  offer 
and  truthful  the  statement  of  the  bishop  was,  yet  I  could  not  de- 
termine in  my  mind  to  take  such  a  treacherous  step  toward  the 
Evangelical  Association. 

"I,  therefore,  told  the  bishop  that  we  considered  ourselves 
called  of  God  to  labor  principally  among  the  German  population, 
and  that  thus  far  our  labors  had  not  been  in  vain.  To  this  he 
replied,  that  the  German  language  could  not  exist  much  longer 
in  this  country.  I  rejoined  that  if  this  should  ever  be  the  case, 
it  would  then  be  time  enough  to  discontinue  preaching  in  Ger- 
man, and  gave  it  as  my  opinion  that  this  would  not  very  soon 
occur,  but  that  the  German  language  would  rather  increase,  at 
least  as  long  as  the  immigration  from  the  Old  World  would  con- 
tinue. I  then  gave  him  my  views,  in  which  I  expected  my  breth- 
ren to  concur,  and  made  him  the  following  offer :  '  If  you  will 
give  us  German  circuits,  districts,  and  conferences,  we  are  wil- 
ling to  make  your  Church  ours,  be  one  people  with  you,  and 


THE  EABLT  DATS. 


171 


have  one  and  the  same  Church  government.'  'This  cannot  be — 
it  would  not  be  expedient,'  was  the  bishop's  reply."    (Page  57.) 

The  prospect  of  a  union  with  that  denomination  was  more  or 
less  agitated,  until  187 1,  when  delegates  from  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  appeared  before  the  General  Conference  of 
the  Evangelical  Association,  with  overtures,  and  the  question 
was  then  finally  settled  in  the  negative. 

The  prospects  of  a  union  with  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ 
were  more  promising,  and  seemed  almost  certain  of  consumation. 
To  this  end  Bishop  Christian  Newcomer,  of  that  denomination, 
labored  hard,  as  the  following  extracts  from  his  journal  will 
show :  * 

"April  21,  (1813)  —  Reached  Martin  Dreisbach's.  The 
Albright  brethren  had  their  conference  here ;  eighteen  preach- 
ers were  assembled.  I  tarried  with  them  till  the  24th.  During 
my  stay  we  discussed  the  propriety  and  practicability  of  a  union 
between  the  two  societies.  I  laid  the  Discipline  of  the  United 
Brethren  before  them  for  examination.  They  made  no  objec- 
tions thereto,  on  the  contrary  appeared  to  approve  the  same. 
They  delivered  to  me  a  written  communication  on  the  subject 
addressed  to  the  conference  of  the  United  Brethren;  so  I  de- 
parted. 

"Nov.  9,  (1813)  —  This  forenoon  we  had  a  meeting  at  Chas. 
Stroub's.  Rode  to  Chas.  Walter's, on  Middle  Creek;  preached, 
etc.  loth — This  forenoon  preached  at  Mr.  Mack's,  near  New 
Berlin,  from  Psalm  xxxiv.,  last  four  verses,  nth — The  purpose 
of  our  journey  to  this  place  was  to  try  whether  a  union  could  not 
be  effected  between  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  and  the  peo- 
ple denominated  the  Albright  brethren.  This  forenoon  the 
following  brethren  were  present :  Ch.  Crum,  Joseph  Hoffman, 
Jacob  Baulus,  and  myself,  of  our  society,  and  Miller,  Walter, 
Dreisbach,  and  Niebel,  of  the  Albright  brethren.  Our  con- 
sultation continued  until  the  13th,  but  we  were  not  able  to  effect 
a  union.  The  greatest  stumbling  block  appeared  to  be  this,  that 
according  to  our  Discipline  our  local  preachers  have  a  vote  in 
the  conference,  as  well  as  the  traveling  preachers.    This  was  a 

*  Remarks  in  parenthesis  by  the  Author. 

Note. — Straob's  and  Walter's  were  Evangelical  preaching  places,  in 
(now)  Snyder  county.  Mack  lived  in  Dry  Valley,  Union  county.  Pa.  It  is 
evident  this  was  a  committe  meeting  of  representatives  of  both  societies,  of  which 
there  has  been  no  record  in  our  Church  histories  thereto. 


172 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


sine  qua  non,  which  the  Albright  brethren  could  or  would  not 
accede  to. 

"April  I,  (1814)  —  I  attended  a  meeting  of  the  Albright 
brethren,  near  Conewago,  and  returned  to  Naylor's.  Sunday, 
— In  York.  3d  —  I  rode  with  Brother  Henry  Smith  to  Jacob 
Klinefelter's.  The  Albright  brethren  had  their  conference 
here.  Abo>.  t  fourteen  or  fifteen  preachers  were  assembled.  I 
made  another  attempl  to  effect  a  union  between  the  two  societies, 
but  in  vain.* 

"April  15,  (1814) — Rode  to  Michael  Maize's,  in  Union 
county  (near  New  Berlin).  i6th — This  morning  I  rode  to 
Martin  Dreisbach's  (in  Buffalo  Valley,  near  New  Berlin),  where 
I  preached  with  great  liberty.  17th  —  I  preached  at  George 
Miller's,  from  II.  Peter  ii.  5-8.  (Rev.  George  Miller,  two 
miles  east  of  New  Berlin.)  i8th  —  Remained  here  and  had  a 
long  conversation  with  Miller  and  Niebel  respecting  the  union 
of  our  respective  societies,  but  all  in  vain.  We  could  not  bring 
matters  to  bear.  19th — This  morning  I  left  them  and  came  to 
Frey's  (Abraham  Frey).  He  rode  with  me  to  Charles  Straub's, 
where  I  preached,  from  Rom.  viii.  ly.f 

"Oct.  II,  (1816)  —  I  preached  at  old  Mr.  Eyer's.  (Father 
Abraham  Ever,  six  miles  east  of  New  Berlin.)  12th  —  Came 
to  Martin  Dreisbach's  (in  Buffalo  Valley,  five  miles  north  of 
New  Berlin).  13th — This  day  we  had  a  meeting  here,  forenoon 
and  night,  14th — This  day  the  conference  of  the  Albright 
brethren  commenced  at  this  place.  I  attended  the  session,  and 
stayed  for  the  night  at  AVormley's. 

"Feb.  14,  (1817) — Twelve  preachers,  six  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren, and  six  of  the  Albright  brethren  met  this  day  at  Henry 
Kummler's  to  make  another  attempt  to  unite  the  two  societies,, 
but  we  could  not  succeed  in  coming  to  an  agreement." 

This  .was  the  famous  "Social  Conference,"  an  account  of 
which  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work,  and  was  the  last  attempt 
at  union  with  the  United  Brethren.    These  extracts  from  the 


*  The  places  mentioned  in  this  entry  were  in  York  county.  Pa. 

\  The  foregoing  were  all  regular  Evangelical  preaching  places,  and  men- 
tioned in  this  work. 

Note. — This  was  the  first  General  Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion, which  see.  Bishop  Newcomer  and  his  colleagues  again  appeared  before 
this  conference  to  work  for  an  organic  union,  and  succeeded  in  having  a  com- 
mittee appointed  to  arrange  the.  terms.    See  General  Conference  of  1816. 


TEE  EARLY  DATS. 


173 


bishop's  journal  not  only  show  his  own  interest  in  the  matter, 
but  also  disclose  the  fact  that  the  subject  of  union  was  discussed 
at  the  conference  of  1813.  The  reader's  attention  is  also  called 
to  the  very  close  connection  between  the  "converted  people," 
as  they  were  called,  as  evinced  by  these  extracts.  The  places  at 
which  Bishop  Newcomer  preached  were  all  old  "Albright" 
preaching  places.  Bishop  Newcomer  entered  the  ministry  long 
before  Jacob  Albright,  the  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion, and  his  journal  reveals  the  fact  that  they  were  intimate 
friends,  and  sometimes  held  meetings  together.  There  was,  how- 
ever, an  evident  difference  in  the  development  of  the  societies 
they  represented,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  Albright  and  his  col- 
leagues, was  inimical  to  a  union.  The  following  extract  will 
indicate  the  character  of  one  of  these  differences  : 

"The  lack  of  denominational  spirit  also  worked  to  the  serious 
injury  of  the  Church,  even  down  to  a  period  as  late  as  1830. 
The  brethren,  as  already  seen,  were  converts  to  Christ,  gathered 
from  the  various  German  Churches, — all  of  whom  were  of  the 
straightest  sect, — against  the  intolerant  spirit  which  they  had 
been  accustomed.  The  reaction  of  those  converts,  when  they 
found  themselves  to  be  all  one  in  Christ  by  virtue  of  the  new 
birth,  was  so  powerful  as  to  push  many  of  them  in  an  opposite 
direction. "  * 

We  have  already  shown,  in  the  first  part  of  this  work,  that 
Albright  did  not  approve  of  the  continued  severance  of  the 
"converted  people"  from  ecclesiastical  connections.  Hence  he 
organized  his  followers,  when  less  than  two  score  in  number. 
He  believed  that  God  had  a  hand  in  this  movement,  and  deemed 
it  best  to  follow  the  leadings  of  Providence  in  the  future,  as  he 
had  experienced  them  in  the  past.  This  feeling  was  shared  by 
his  colleagues,  as  plainly  shown  in  the  reply  of  Dreisbach  to  the 
overtures  of  Bishop  Asbury. 

On  this  line  the  Evangelical  Association  continued  to  develop 
from  year  to  year.  The  Lord  Jesus  gradually  opened  new  and 
more  extensive  avenues  of  usefulness,  which  she  entered  in  His 
name.  In  view  of  the  many  attempts  to  effect  a  union  with  other 
connections,  and  attendant  failures,  and  the  deeply  rooted  con- 
viction of  tne  ministry  of  the  Evangelical  Association  that  Prov- 
idence raised  her  up  to  perform  a  special  work,  it  is  not  probable 


*  Lawrence's  History  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  Vol.  II.,  page  24. 


174  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


that  she  will  cease  to  exist  as  a  religious  body  in  the  near  future. 
The  Guiding  Hand  is  continually  leading  her  into  wider  fields, 
all  covered  with  a  ripening  harvest  of  souls,  into  which  she  enters 
to  fulfil  her  divine  mission. 

The  Lansttage  Question.  We  have  already  noticed,  in 
the  first  chapter  of  this  work,  that  the  Evangelical  Association 
had  her  origin  among  the  Germans  of  Pennsylvania.  These  con- 
ditions strongly  impressed  her  early  ministry  with  a  sense  of  their 
providential  call  to  labor  among  the  Germans,  and  this  view  of 
their  mission  exercised  a  controlling  influence  in  many  important 
events  of  the  early  history  of  the  Association.  One  of  the  rea- 
sons why  little  attention  was  paid  to  the  English  element,  was 
the  fact  that  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  which  held  essen- 
tially the  same  doctrines,  and  pursued  the  same  evangelistic 
methods,  was  supposed  to  fully  occupy  that  field. 

It  will  be  observed  that  in  the  interview  recorded  between 
Bishop  AsBURV,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  John 
Dreisbach,  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  the  latter  agreed 
on  behalf  of  the  Association  to  an  organic  union  with  the  former 
on  condition  that  they  be  permitted  to  carry  out  thier  project  in 
relation  to  the  Germans.  The  bishop's  non-approval  of  the  pro- 
posal is  one  of  the  reasons  for  the  separate  existence  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association.  In  his  proposal  to  the  bishop,  Dreisbach 
simply  reflected  the  general  conviction  of  the  Evangelical  minis- 
try in  regard  to  their  mission  among  the  Pennsylvania  Germans. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  century,  circum- 
stances made  it  absolutely  necessary  for  the  preachers  who  were 
able  to  do  so,  to  use  the  English  language  to  some  extent,  be- 
cause that  was  the  language  of  the  land,  and  where  the  societies 
were  small,  and  the  Germans  were  scattered,  it  became  a  ques- 
tion of  preaching  English  or  suffering  extinction,  which  in  many 
instances  happened  by  absorption  into  a  sister  Church. 

The  Evangelical  preachers  too  often  allowed  their  German 
predilections  to  prevail  over  their  manifest  denominational  inter- 
ests, and  hence  many  calls  from  English  quarters  were  unheeded 
and  many  open  doors  in  the  interior  towns  and  cities  of  the  State 
were  passed  by.  In  some  localities,  where  societies  were  formed, 
the  work  was  suffered  to  die,  instead  of  resorting  to  a  change  of 
language,  and  English  missions  were  established  in  the  same 
places  many  years  afterwards.  Thus  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion has  often  been  regarded  as  an  intruder  upon  fields  of  which 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


176 


she  was  the  original  occupant.  Whatever  our  views  may  be  con- 
cerning the  convictions  of  our  early  preachers  in  respect  to  the 
Germans,  their  short-sighted  policy  in  abandoning  fields,  rather 
than  change  the  language  of  worship,  is  to  be  deeply  deplored. 
Notwithstanding  the  indifference  of  the  Church  to  the  English 
element,  a  number  of  societies  were  established  where  English 
predominated.  In  1825  there  were  such  societies  in  Virginia, 
Maryland,  the  Cumberland  Valley,  and  elsewhere  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. 

History  of  John  Hamilton.  In  this  connection  we  give 
a  brief  account  of  the  first  English  preacher  of  the  Association, 
in  his  relation  with  the  subject  now  under  consideration,  as  his 
career  had  a  far-reaching  influence  on  the  polity  of  the  Church. 
His  course  subsequent  to  his  expulsion  is  given  simply  as  a  mat- 
ter of  interest. 

In  1825  John  Hamilton,  a  young  man  of  remarkably  fine 
abilities,  entered  the  active  ranks  of  the  ministry.  Although  ex- 
clusively English,  he  nevertheless  grew  rapidly  in  favor  and  was 
soon  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  eloquent  men  of  the  Church. 
He  became  very  popular  in  the  Cumberland  Valley  and  Virginia, 
and  it  seemed  as  though  the  right  man  had  came  at  last  to  lead 
the  way  through  the  transition  period.  But  the  time  was  not  yet 
ripe.  The  Church  must  first  learn  a  lesson  from  sad  experience. 
In  many  portions  of  the  Church  the  transition  of  language  had 
already  begun,  and  Hamilton  was  justly  regarded  as  the  leader 
of  the  English  element.  In  1830  he  became  somewhat  radical 
in  his  views  regarding  the  faith  and  polity  of  the  Church,  and 
published  the  same  in  a  pamphlet.  That  he  represented  the 
spirit  of  transition  from  the  old  to  the  new  in  many  particulars, 
the  leading  men  of  the  Church  at  that  time  failed  to  see,  and  it 
is  to  be  regretted  that  he  was  not  met  by  his  brethren  in  the  spirit 
of  forbearance.  In  1831  he  was  expelled  from  the  society,  but 
had  the  sympathy  of  most  of  the  younger  and  progressive  portion 
of  the  ministry. 

After  this  summary  treatment,  it  was  quite  natural  for  Ham- 
ilton to  become  more  radical  than  ever,  and  once  cut  loose  from 
his  ecclesiastical  moorings,  he  soon  drifted  far  away.  His  avowed 
purpose,  while  still  connected  with  the  society,  was  to  bring  her 
back  again  to  the  fundamental  principles  established  by  Albright, 
from  which  he  held  she  had  departed.  His  chief  following  was 
in  Virginia,  where  he  set  about  establishing  an  independent 


176 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


society.  He  at  first  met  with  some  success,  and  a  number  of  the 
ministers  and  many  of  the  members  in  Virginia  adhered  to  him. 
In  1833  he  and  a  number  of  his  adherents  held  a  conference, 
when  the  following  articles  were  adopted  :  * 

"We,  the  subscribers,  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  have  met  on 
Sept.  28,  1833,  and  adopted  the  following  resolutions: 

"I.  This  society  shall  be  called  the  Christian  Church,  and 
never  by  any  other  name. 

"2.  Jesus  Christ  shall  be  the  only  Head. 

"3.  Believers  in  Him,  together  with  infants,  the  only  members. 

"4.  The  New  Testament  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice. 

"5.  In  mental  matters  each  member  shall  enjoy  his  own  senti- 
ments, and  freely  discuss  every  subject,  but  in  discipline  a  strict 
conformity  with  the  precepts  of  Christ  is  required. 

"6.  Every  society,  wherever  they  associate  themselves  to- 
gether under  the  present  rule,  shall  have  the  power  of  admitting 
members,  electing  officers,  etc. 

"7.  Delegates  from  the  different  congregations  shall  meet 
annualy  to  consult  the  general  interests. 

"8.  At  every  monthly  meeting  a  collection  shall  be  lifted  for 
the  poor  and  the  promulgation  of  the  Gospel. 

"(Signed)    John  Hamilton, 

Robert  G.  Hunter, 
James  H.  Brewer,! 
John  Dawson, 
Henry  Dawson." 

At  this  conference  they  also  adopted  twelve  reasons  why  they 
could  not  consistently  attach  themselves  to  any  of  the  "sects" 
then  in  existence.  In  the  Fall  of  1834  Hamilton  and  his  fol- 
lowers held  a  camp-meeting  in  Cedar  Valley,  Va. ,  which  was 
well  attended,  but  great  disturbances  took  place,  which  were  dis- 
astrous to  the  meeting.  J.  H.  Brewer  died  soon  after  this,  which 
was  a  great  blow  to  Hamilton's  cause.  The  work  gradually 
declined,  and  Hamilton  subsequently  united  with  the  Lutheran 
Church. 

Notwithstanding  the  failure  of  Hamilton's  movement,  the 

♦  W.  W.  Orwig  is  in  error  when  he  says  (History  of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation, page  157)  that  none  of  Hamilton's  adherents  came  to  the  appointed 
conference. 

f  This  was  "J.  Breur,"  the  first  preacher  of  the  Evangelical  Association, 
in  Virginia. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


177 


work  of  the  Evangelical  Association  sustained  great  injury,  chiefly 
because  of  the  repressive  measures  employed  against  the  English 
element.  Although  it  was  evident  that  the  English  language 
would  eventually  supplant  the  German,  and  the  transition  was 
well  under  way  in  western  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  1830  adopted  a  course  most  subversive  to  the 
interests  of  the  Church.  We  will  let  W.  W.  Orwig,  who  was  a 
contemporary,  speak  of  these  critical  times : 

"Some  years  before  this  conference  (1830)  several  men  had 
been  received  into  the  itinerant  ministry  who  preached  exclusively 
in  English,  and  hence  could  travel  only  on  a  few  circuits,  the 
others  being  nearly  all  German,  and  as  fears  were  entertained 
that  the  English  language  might  prevail,  this  conference  ordered 
that  the  itinerant  ministry  in  general,  confine  their  labors  to  the 
German  portion  of  the  population,  and  that  no  more  preachers 
be  received  into  that  body,  who  had  not  at  least  some  knowledge 
of  the  German  language.  This  resolution  vexed  and  discour- 
aged the  English  brethren  a  great  deal,  and  its  consequences  was, 
that  the  English  work  suffered  and  languished  till  finally  it  died 
out  almost  entirely.  Thus  many  parts  of  the  country  were,  and 
remained  closed  against  the  Association,  as  by  far  the  most 
States  of  the  Union  were  almost  exclusively,  and  the  few  remain- 
ing for  the  most  part  English. 

"Herein  the  Evangelical  Association  fared  like  most  of  the 
German  Churches  of  this  country;  /.  e.,  it  learned  a  lesson  by 
sad  experience.  In  many  parts  they  lost  a  considerable  number 
of  useful  members,  and  even  many  of  their  own  sons  and  daugh^ 
ters,  besides  a  great  many  others,  for  this  reason,  joined  other 
denominations,  who  would  otherwise  have  preferred  to  remain 
in  the  Evangelical  Association.  These  are  facts  which  no  one 
can  truthfully  deny,  and  which  were  afterwards  deplored  by 
many  of  the  preachers  and  members."    (Page  153.) 

At  the  General  Conference  of  1843  whole  subject  was 
under  discussion  for  several  days,  and  that  body  found  it  expe- 
dient not  only  to  reverse  its  former  action,  but  also  took  steps  to 
encourage  and  foster  the  English  element  in  the  Church.  This 
had  a  very  beneficial  effect,  and  the  work  in  central  and  western 
Pennsylvania  took  a  new  start  and  progressed  rapidly. 

While  the  author  would  not  uphold  the  course  of  Hamilton 
after  his  expulsion,  yet  a  careful  consideration  of  all  the  circum- 
stances in  the  case,  gathered  from  his  contemporaries,  both  of 


178 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


the  ministry  and  the  laity,  inclines  to  the  belief,  that  the  course 
adopted  toward  him  was  harsh,  and  his  expulsion  unwise.  The 
testimony  of  those  best  acquainted  with  him  should  have  great 
weight  in  this  matter.  In  1827  Rev.  Francis  Hoffman,  who  for 
over  sixty  years  has  been  a  pillar  in  the  Church,  traveled  Frank- 
lin and  Berkley  Circuits  with  Hamilton,  as  junior  preacher,  and 
in  1 83 1  he  was  sent  to  Berkley  Circuit  (Virginia)  immediately 
after  Hamilton's  expulsion,  to  save  if  possible  the  interests  of 
the  Church  in  the  very  stronghold  of  Hamilton.  In  several  in- 
terviews with  Hoffman  on  the  subject,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  say 
that  Hamilton  was  a  most  excellent  man.  His  life  was  above 
reproach,  and  had  the  brethren  laid  aside  their  prejudices  against 
him,  dealt  less  harshly  with  him,  he  would  have  been  saved  to 
the  Church.  In  1832  J.  M.  Savlor  was  sent  to  the  field  of 
Hamilton's  operations  in  Virginia.  He  was  a  classmate  and 
intimate  friend  of  Hamilton.  His  testimony  was  exactly  simi- 
lar to  that  of  Hoffman,  with  this  addition,  that  Hamilton  was 
a  progressive  man,  and  while  holding  to  the  simplicity  of  the 
faith  as  promulgated  by  Albright,  he  was  nevertheless  opposed 
to  some  of  the  methods,  and  the  spirit  of  exclusiveness  prevail- 
ing in  the  society.  Had  the  German  brethren  understood  him, 
and  recognized  the  fact  that  he  represented  the  spirit  of  transi- 
tion, which  the  times  demanded,  and  all  could  foresee  must 
come,  and  had  he  been  met  in  the  spirit  of  forbearance,  a  great 
calamity  would  have  been  averted,  and  the  development  of  the 
Church  would  have  been  along  lines  to  which  the  leaders  of  the 
Church  were  glad  to  bring  her  in  after  years. 

It  is  a  circumstance  far-reaching  in  its  relations  to  the  subse- 
quent history  of  the  Church,  that  while  John  Dreisbach  and 
most  of  his  Pennsylvania  German  associates,  on  the  one  hand, 
accepted  the  situation,  that  the  occasion  for  laboring  in  their 
original  sphere  in  relation  to  language  had  passed  away  by  change 
of  conditions  and  circumstances.  The  European  element,  on 
the  other  hand,  failed  to  harmonize  with  the  lines  of  action  of 
their  American  brethren,  and  thus  was  laid  the  foundation  for 
racial  prejudices  and  distinctiveness  which  had  its  influence  in 
shaping  the  polity  and  legislation  of  the  Church  in  a  manner  not 
always  consistent  with  her  original  spirit  and  her  prosperity  and 
unity. 

In  corroboration  of  this  statement, we  may  here  say  that  John 
Dreisbach,  who  had  been  one  of  the  strongest  advocates  of  the 


THB  EARLY  DAYS. 


179 


distinctive  mission  of  the  Evangelical  Association  among  the 
Germans,  himself  led  the  way  for  the  widening  of  her  sphere  of 
operations,  by  earnestly  championing  a  change  of  policy  at  the 
Greensburgh  General  Conference,  in  1843.  At  that  memorable 
conference  the  Pennsylvania  delegates  (themselves  Germans) 
stood  unitedly  for  a  complete  change  of  polity  in  relation  to  lan- 
guage, and  found  in  Dreisbach  (a  co-laborer  of  the  founder  of 
the  Association)  a  powerful  support.  In  later  years  he  was  quite 
pronounced  in  his  declarations  that  all  occasion  for  the  special 
work  among  the  Germans  had  passed  away.  He  himself  says 
{Evangelical  Messenger,  1855,  page  60):  "Now  it  must  be  clear 
to  every  candid  mind,  as  we  judge,  that  we  were  directed  by  Di- 
vine Providence  to  labor  also  among  our  English  population; 
although  in  the  commencement,  we  considered  ourselves  called 
of  God  to  labor  only  for  the  good  of  our  German  inhabitants. 
Hence  we  acknowledge  that  we  did  not  at  first  comprehend  the 
full  extent  of  our  calling,  as  it  has  from  time  to  time  been  dis- 
closed to  us  by  the  Divine  guidance." 

Notwithstanding  this  change  of  attitude  in  respect  to  her 
sphere  of  influence  by  the  original  representatives  of  the  Church, 
certain  influences  were  brought  to  bear  upon  her  polity  by  men 
of  European  birth,  which  have  had  a  steady  tendency  to  impress 
certain  phases  of  Church  life  upon  her,  not  at  all  in  harmony 
with  her  true  aims  and  original  character.  Let  no  German  rashly 
conclude  that  we  have  an  undue  bias  against  the  German  char- 
acter. We  must  be  true  to  the  logic  of  history,  and  in  doing  so 
we  must  deal  with  facts  and  circumstances  as  we  find  them.  The 
long  array  of  controversial  articles  and  editorials  in  the  Church 
periodicals,  along  these  lines,  during  the  last  three  decades, 
abundantly  show  that  a  foreign  born  Church  life  is  already  too 
strongly  prevalent  in  many  quarters.  The  true  Evangelical  As- 
sociation makes  no  racial  distinctions,  and  any  influence  which 
nurtures  and  fosters  racial  interests  and  prejudices,  to  the  detri- 
ment of  others,  is  wholly  foreign  to  the  true  spirit  of  the  Church. 
That  the  Church  has  good  reasons  for  guarding  well  her  interests 
in  these  particulars  is  becoming  more  and  more  apparent. 

The  Ministry  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  The 
Evangelical  Association  has  suffered  in  some  measure  in  the 
estimation  of  many,  because,  as  is  held,  her  ministry  is  not  in  the 
line  of  "apostolic  succession,"  and  lacks  the  scholastic  training 
given  the  ministry  of  the  older  denominations.    By  apostolic 


180  EVAmELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 

succession  we  are  to  understand  the  succession  of  ordination 
from  the  apostles,  through  the  representatives  of  the  Church, 
down  to  the  present  time.  It  may  be  remarked  that  the  advo- 
cates of  apostolic  succession,  so-called,  as  the  only  valid  ordina- 
tion, must  assume  a  heavy  responsibility,  and  are  confronted  by 
insuperable  difficulties  in  establishing  an  unbroken  succession. 
So  great  are  these  difficulties  that  many  of  the  greatest  scholars 
of  modern  times  regard  the  doctrine  of  an  unbroken  succession 
as  a  myth.  Even  John  Wesley,  whose  claims  to  be  in  that  line 
were  of  the  best,  himself  declared:  "The  uninterrupted  succes- 
sion I  know  to  be  a  fable,  which  no  man  ever  did,  or  can 
prove"  (i).  It  may  be  casually  remarked  that  Wesley  was  in 
good  company  among  Churchmen  in  his  denunciation  of  the 
"fable"  of  the  succession.  The  learned  Chillingworth  said: 
"I  am  fully  pursuaded  that  there  hath  been  no  such  succession." 
While  Bishop  Stillingfleet,  one  of  the  best  Biblical  authorities 
of  modem  times,  declares :  "This  succession  is  as  muddy  as  the 
Tiber  itself"  (2).    A  certain  writer  has  said: 

"There  is  a  consecration  not  of  man. 
Nor  given  by  laid-on  hands,  nor  acted  rite." 

The  Evangelical  Association  recognizes  this  fact,  as  without  this 
Divine  separation  and  anointing  for  the  ministerial  office,  all 
human  rites  would  be  insufficient,  even  though  supported  by  the 
strongest  claims  of  direct  transmission  from  apostolic  times. 

The  Evangelical  Association,  as  a  branch  of  the  Christiar 
Church,  is,  therefore,  content  with  an  ordination  which  comes 
through  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  elders  of  the  Church, 
whose  lives  are  known  and  open  to  the  eye  of  the  world,  and  who 
themselves  are  persuaded  in  their  hearts,  that  the  candidate  for 
orders  is  called  of  God  to  preach  the  Gospel.  It  may  also  be 
added,  that  the  ministry  of  the  Evangelical  Association  has  given 
abundant  proof  of  its  regularity  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  as  it  has 
met  with  uniform  success.  Many  thousand  souls  have  been  saved 
through  its  instrumentality,  and  its  power  for  good  has  been  felt 
in  a  marked  degree  on  three  continents  of  the  earth. 

While  it  is  true  that  most  of  the  ministers  of  the  Evangelical 
Association  lack  the  advantages  of  a  scholastic  training,  they  are 
nevertheless,  as  a  class,  close  students  in  almost  every  depart- 
ment of  knowledge  that  may  be  made  contributary  to  their  work. 

(i)  McClintock  &  Strong  Encyclopaedia.    Article,  "Wesley,"  page  170. 
(3)  Ibid,  Vol.  II.,  page  234. 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


181 


In  relation  to  true  Bible  knowledge,  and  the  interpretation  and 
application  of  Divine  Truth  to  the  salvation  of  souls  and  the 
edification  of  the  Church,  they  will  compare  favorably  with  those 
of  any  Christian  denomination.  The  Church  has  never  been 
opposed  to  an  educated  ministry,  but  has  always  opposed  a 
scholastic  training  as  a  substitute  for  the  special  and  spiritual 
gifts  of  God  which  alone  can  enable  the  ministry  to  render  ac- 
ceptable service  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord. 

Hardships  and  Self-Deulal.  The  early  ministers  of  the 
Evangelical  Association  were  impelled  in  their  work  by  a  true 
apostolic  spirit.  Aroused  to  a  deep  sense  of  the  moral  depravity 
of  the  age  and  the  formal  worship  of  the  established  Churches, 
their  hearts  were  set  on  fire  with  a  burning  zeal  for  perishing 
souls.  The  doctrine  of  experimental  religion  being  entirely  new 
in  many  places,  the  preachers  met  great  opposition  there.  They 
were  decried  as  "heretics,"  "false  prophets"  and  "deceivers." 
The  clergy  of  the  old  Churches  denounced  them  from  their  pul- 
pits, and  warned  their  members  against  them.  Those  who  re- 
ceived them,  or  sympathized  with  them,  were  persecuted  by  their 
fellow  Church  members,  friends  and  neighbors.  Their  names 
were  cast  out  as  vile,  and  all  manner  of  abuse  was  heaped  upon 
them.  Their  work  called  for  sacrifices  and  self-denial  unsur- 
passed in  the  history  of  the  Christian  Church.  In  many  instances 
their  income  from  their  work  was  far  less  than  their  actual  out- 
lay, and  many  itinerants,  after  several  years  of  service,  found 
themselves  impoverished.  In  many  instances,  while  the  husband 
was  engaged  in  the  ministry,  his  family  supported  themselves  as 
best  they  could.  For  many  years  all  the  money  received  by  the 
ministers  for  support,  was  added  together  at  the  end  of  the  year 
and  equally  divided.  In  1811  the  amount  each  man  received 
was  only  $29.33.  In  the  first  quarter  of  the  century  the  average 
salary  seldom  exceeded  $50.  In  18 18  the  support  fell  far  below 
the  actual  needs  of  the  preachers,  and  the  conference  was  obliged 
to  give  each  preacher  a  petition  addressed  to  the  members,  to 
satisfy  their  needs. 

Note. — As  illustrating  the  spirit  of  self-sacrifice  of  our  early  ministry,  we 
insert  the  following  from  Rev.  Francis  Hoffman,  Sept.  25,  1S91:  "In  the 
early  part  of  my  ministry,  my  income  was  much  less  than  my  expenses,  and  I 
several  times  wanted  to  stop,  but  my  wife  would  not  consent,  so  I  was  compelled 
to  sell  my  property,  consisting  of  two  houses,  to  support  myself  in  the  ministry. 
My  salary  from  1826  to  1840,  a  period  of  fourteen  years,  amounted  to  $627.77, 
an  average  of  $40.29  a  year." 


183  EVANQELICAL  AaSOOIATION  ANNALS. 


Higher  Education  Desired.  At  the  General  Conference 
held  at  Greensburgh,  Ohio,  in  1843,  the  first  action  .was  taken 
in  favor  of  higher  education.  No  definite  action,  however,  was 
taken  toward  the  establishment  of  an  institution  of  learning,  but 
a  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Bishops  Sevbert  and 
Long,  and  J.  C.  Reisner,  W.  W.  Orwig  and  Adam  Ettinger, 
who  were  instructed  to  devise  a  plan,  or  course  of  study,  for  the 
ministry  of  the  Church.  This  plan  was  published  in  the  Christ- 
liche  Boischafter,  March  i,  1844,  over  the  signature  of  the  com- 
mittee. It  consisted  of  a  four  years'  course,  and  also  contained 
directions  for  the  proper  improvement  of  time,  and  preservation 
of  health,  closing  with  an  exhortation  to  seek  the  unction  of  the 
Spirit,  as  the  only  means  of  successfully  applying  the  literary 
qualifications  gained.  An  English  adaptation  of  this  course  was 
published  in  the  Messenger,  Nov.  24,  1852.  Since  then  the 
course  of  study  has  been  extended  and  improved  from  time  to 
time.  A  very  animated  discussion  was  begun  in  the  Christliche 
Botschafter  in  1846,  and  continued  several  years,  on  the  subject 
of  an  educated  ministry.  It  began  with  an  article  published  in 
1845,  from  the  pen  of  John  Dreisbach,  entitled,  "Teachers  and 
Preachers  Should  Not  be  Ignorant."  The  discussion  of  the  sub- 
ject in  all  its  aspects  embraced  over  a  score  of  articles  from 
various  pens,  its  general  trend  being  that  a  converted  ministry  is 
indispensible  to  the  work  of  the  Lord,  but  a  converted,  educated 
ministry  is  very  desirable,  and  more  efficient  in  general,  and  de- 
manded by  the  times  and  the  enlightened  condition  of  the  masses. 
The  discussion  was  fraught  with  good  results  which  soon  became 
apparent.  In  1847  the  West  Pennsylvania  Conference  perfected 
the  first  Educational  Society  of  the  Church  and  published  the 
constitution,  and  at  the  General  Conference  which  met  at  New 
Berlin  in  the  same  year,  John  Dreisbach  offered  the  first  resolu- 
tion for  the  establishment  of  an  institution  of  learning,  which 
took  tangible  form  a  few  years  later. 

When  Jacob  Albright  was  assembled  with  his  little  band  of 
co-workers  for  the  last  time  on  earth,  he  gave  them  this  parting 
advice:  "In  all  you  do,  or  intend  to  do,  let  it  be  your  aim  to 
promote  the  honor  and  glory  of  God,  and  to  promulgate  and 
exalt  the  operations  of  His  grace,  both  in  your  own  hearts  and 
among  your  brethren  and  sisters,  and  be  faithful  co-workers  with 
them  in  the  path  which  the  Lord  has  shown  you,  and  to  which 
He  will  grant  you  His  blessing." 


THE  EARLY  DAYS. 


183 


Prayer  and  Call  for  Laborers.  When  the  West  Pa. 
Conference  was  constituted  in  1839,  a  disproportionate  number 
of  the  ministers  chose  to  remain  with  the  East  Pa.  Conference, 
while  a  number  united  with  the  Ohio  Conference.  When  the 
first  session  of  the  West  Pa.  Conference  was  held  in  1840,  the 
number  of  its  ministers  was  still  further  reduced,  which  greatly 
crippled  the  work.  Charges  which  hitherto  had  been  served  by 
two  and  three  men  were  now  supplied  with  but  one.  The  general 
condition  of  affairs  was  so  serious  that  the  conference  appointed 
the  following  Fourth  of  July  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  that 
God  would  refresh  His  work  in  the  conference  and  provide 
laborers  for  His  vineyard.  The  preachers  were  enjoined  to 
preach  special  sermons  bearing  on  the  subject,  the  services  to  be 
held  at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  where  no  preachers  were 
at  hand,  prayer-meetings  were  to  be  held. 

A  committee,  consisting  of  George  Brickley,  Charles 
Hammer  and  W.  W.  Orwig,  was  appointed  by  the  conference  to 
prepare  and  publish  a  pastoral  letter  bearing  on  the  condition  of 
the  work.  The  letter  appeared  in  the  Botschafter  of  May  15, 
1840,  filling  nearly  five  columns  of  the  paper,  and  was  a  most 
excellent  production.  It  was  divided  into  eight  paragraphs,  as 
follows:  (i)  A  general  review  of  the  Lord's  work  in  the  con- 
ference. Reasons  for  encouragement  and  our  duty  to  thank  and 
praise  Him  for  His  mercies.  (2)  Scarcity  of  active  preachers 
and  the  situation  generally.  (3)  The  responsibility  of  the  con- 
ference in  this  matter.  (4)  Appeal  to  local  preachers  for  greater 
zeal  and  more  earnest  co-operation  with  the  circuit  preachers. 
(5)  Appeal  to  class-leaders  and  exhorters  for  greater  diligence 
in  their  office.  (6)  Appeal  to  the  laity  to  give  the  preachers  a 
more  liberal  support.  (7)  Appeal  to  all  for  a  deeper  concern 
for  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  work  of  the  Lord.  (8) 
Reminder  of  the  day  appointed  for  prayer  and  fasting,  and  exhor- 
tation to  earnest  observance  of  the  same. 

The  effect  of  these  measures  was  most  salutary.  Great  pros- 
perity and  general  success  attended  the  labors  of  the  ministers. 
No  other  conference  made  such  rapid  progress.  Plenty  of 
devoted  and  gifted  men  offered  themselves  for  the  ministry. 
Since  then  scores  of  men  have  left  the  conference  to  enter  the 
work  in  the  West,  and  yet  her  ranks  are  always  full,  and  all  this 
in  answer  to  prayer.    (See  Matt.  ix.  37,  38.) 


184  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Dwellings  for  Preachers.  Resolutions  to  provide  suita- 
ble dwellings  for  ministers  were  passed  many  years  before  actual 
steps  were  taken  to  carry  them  into  effect.  The  first  action 
taken  was  in  1812,  when  the  conference  resolved  that  efforts 
should  be  made  to  purchase  lots  and  erect  bouses  for  the  use 
of  itinerants  on  Schuylkill  and  Northumberland  Circuits.  The 
trustees  of  said  circuits  were  instructed  to  apply  bequests  for 
that  purpose  in  equal  proportions  to  said  charges.  This  resolu- 
tion was  never  carried  into  effect.  In  1832  the  eastern  conference 
instructed  the  trustees  of  the  printing  house  at  New  Berlin  to 
convert  that  building  into  a  parsonage,  at  the  expense  of  the 
circuit,  while  it  still  remained  the  property  of  the  conference. 
In  1838  the  same  conference  resolved:  "That upon  each  charge 
a  parsonage  shall  be  erected,  if  practicable,  and  that  the  quarterly 
conference  elect  three  men  as  trustees,  who  shall,  by  the  advice 
of  the  presiding  elder  and  preacher-in-charge,  select  a  suitable 
locality  on  the  circuit  for  the  erection  or  purchase  of  such  a 
house. " 

In  the  early  days  the  preachers  did  not  remove  their  families 
to  the  charges  to  which  they  were  appointed.  In  course  of  time, 
when  two-year  pastorates  became  more  frequent,  they  began  to 
move  from  charge  to  charge,  as  they  were  appointed.  In  1833 
Francis  Hoffman  removed  his  family  from  Orwigsburg  to 
Mifflinburg,  Pa.  This  was  the  first  removal  of  a  preacher's 
family  to  a  charge  of  which  we  have  certain  knowledge.  J.  M. 
Savlor  also  was  one  of  the  first  to  remove  his  family  from  charge 
to  charge. 

The  General  Meeting,  so-called,  was  the  forerunner  of 

the  quarterly  meeting  as  now  in  vogue  among  us,  and  was  a  very 
important  factor  in  the  development  and  establishment  of  the 
Church.  In  the  early  days  it  was  customary  for  all  the  preachers 
to  attend  the  meeting,  and  the  members  came  from  all  directions, 
sometimes  from  thirty  to  forty  miles  on  foot,*  and  some  are 
known  to  have  traveled  a  hundred  miles  to  attend  them.  The 
appointment  of  time  and  place  was  altogether  dependent  upon 
circumstances.    The  brother  agreeing  to  "take"  the  meeting 

*  The  sainted  wife  of  Rev.  Francis  Hoffman  related  to  the  author  that  in 
1824  she  walked  from  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  to  attend  a  general  meeting  at  Daniel 
Bertolett's,  at  Friedensburg,  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles  ;  at  another  time 
she  walked  to  Turkey  Hill,  Lancaster  county,  near  forty  miles.  She  was  accom- 
panied by  six  other  single  ladies. 


THE  EABLT  DATS. 


18& 


was  expected  to  shelter  and  feed  all  who  came,  unless,  as  was 
sometimes  the  case,  other  friendly  doors  in  the  neighborhood 
were  opened  to  receive  them.  The  meeting  was  held  in  the 
house,  if  sufficiently  large,  but  the  barn  floor  was  also  much 
used,  and  in  Summer  time  the  yard  or  orchard.  The  meeting 
usually  began  on  Saturday  afternoon  and  closed  on  Sunday  even- 
ing, and  consisted  of  preaching,  testimony,  praise  and  revival 
services.  The  brethren  always  sought  to  take  their  unconverted 
friends  to  these  meetings,  where  they  were  almost  sure  to  be 
converted. 

The  first  general  meeting  was  held  by  Albright,  on  the  day 
of  Pentecost,  1802,  at  the  house  of  Samuel  Leeser,  near  Boyer- 
town.  Pa. ;  the  second  immediately  after  harvest  of  the  same 
year,  at  the  home  of  John  Thomas,  Sr.,  Decatur  township,  Mif- 
flin county,  near  the  present  town  of  Wagoner ;  the  third  at 
Jacob  Phillip's,  in  Northampton  county,  about  a  month  later ; 
the  fourth  on  Easter  day,  1803,  at  Solomon  Miller's,  Brunswick 
township,  Schuylkill  county.  The  meetings  usually  resulted  in 
great  awakenings  and  many  conversions,  of  which  there  are  many 
remarkable  instances  recorded  in  this  volume.  In  addition  to 
the  religious  exercises,  it  seems  that  considerable  business  was 
transacted  relative  to  the  affairs  of  the  society,  as  the  following 
instances  will  show:  In  1808  there  was  no  annual  conference 
held,  but  in  lieu  thereof  the  business  pertaining  to  it  was  trans- 
acted at  a  general  meeting,  held  at  the  house  of  John  Brobst, 
in  Albany  township,  Berks  county,  on  Easter  day,  at  which  time 
Albright  stationed  his  preachers  for  the  last  time.  In  1809  the 
second  annual  conference  was  held,  at  which  time  elder's  orders 
were  voted  John  Walter  and  John  Dreisbach,  and  at  a  general 
meeting  held  several  months  later,  at  the  house  of  Henrv  Eby, 
near  Lebanon,  they  and  George  Miller  (whose  orders  had 
been  voted  him  in  1807)  were  solemnly  ordained.  This  was  a 
great  event  in  the  early  history  of  the  society. 

The  Quarterly  Meeting.  In  course  of  time,  as  the  work 
became  more  extensive  and  the  membership  multiplied,  the 
general  meetings  were  more  confined  to  the  separate  charges, 
occurring  at  regular  intervals,  and  thus  generally  developed  into 
the  quarterly  meeting,  conducted  by  a  presiding  elder  or  his 
substitute.  The  quarterly  meeting  consists,  first,  of  a  business 
meeting,  attended  by  the  officials  of  the  charge  ;  second,  the 
religious  service  connected  with  the  dispensation  of  the  Lord's 


186  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Supper.  The  business  meeting,  or  quarterly  conference,  was 
usually  preceded  by  a  religious  service  and  a  sermon  on  Chris- 
tian duties. 

Protracted  Meetings,  as  now  conducted  among  us,  were 
unknown  in  the  early  days  of  the  Church.  The  first  report  of 
what  seems  to  have  been  the  first  meeting  of  this  kind  appeared 
in  the  Chrisiliche  Botschafter,  in  August,  1836,  from  Rev.  Jacob 
Boas,  who  then  served  Erie  Circuit.    The  report  is  as  follows  : 

"Erie  County,  June  27,  1836. 
"It  affords  me  pleasure  to  have  an  opportunity  of  telling, 
through  the  Botschafter,  what  the  Lord  is  doing  in  various  local- 
ities on  Erie  Circuit.  Although  in  comparison  with  the  work  in 
other  places,  it  seems  insignificant,  yet  when  we  take  into  con- 
sideration the  severe  opposition  from  the  ungodly,  etc.,  it  is 
nevertheless  remarkable,  and  we  can  say  with  pleasure,  'The 
Lord  has  done  great  things  for  us,  whereof  we  are  glad. '  We 
had  an  eight  days'  meeting  in  a  settlement  about  four  miles  south 
of  Brighton,  near  the  Conneaut  Lake.  It  began  May  27.  The 
Lord  was  present  and  wrought  so  powerfully  that  I  had  never 
witnessed  the  like  before.  During  the  first  few  days  there  was 
but  little  stir,  yet  the  Word  of  God  often  reached  the  hearts  of 
the  hearers,  so  that  they  melted,  and  bewailed  their  sins.  On 
Sunday  we  had  considerable  stir  in  the  meeting.  In  the  even- 
ing a  number  prayed  for  pardon.  On  Monday  we  had  three 
services  and  God  bestowed  his  blessing,  especially  in  the  even- 
ing, so  that  sinners  called  upon  the  Lord  for  mercy  and  pardon, 
which  they  also  realized  through  the  prayer  of  faith.  Tuesday 
at  10  o'clock  there  was  preaching,  and  in  the  afternoon  we  had 
an  experience  meeting,  when  God's  power  was  revealed  among 
us,  and  hearts  were  softened  and  melted.  In  the  evening  quite 
a  number  of  people  were  converted.  Wednesday,  June  i,  was  a 
good  day.  In  the  evening,  before  I  began  to  preach,  the  whole 
assembly  was  moved  and  sinners  began  to  plead  for  mercy.  I 
then  delivered  an  exhortation,  and  God  accompanied  his  Word 
with  power  to  the  hearts  of  the  people,  which  caused  a  mighty 
noise  among  the  dry  bones.  Here  lay  many  smitten  and  wounded 
souls,  yet,  God  be  praised,  many  of  them  found  the  good  Physi- 
cian, who  can  heal  all  infirmities,  who  also  released  them  from 
their  load  of  sin,  and  transplanted  them  into  the  fellowship  of 
His  children.    Life  was  here,  with  shouts  and  praise  to  God. 


THE  EABLT  DATS. 


187 


On  Thursday,  we  again  had  a  blessed  time,  and  quite  a  number 
of  penitents  were  converted  this  day,  and  the  meeting  continued 
all  night,  so  that  we  could  joyfully  say  with  Peter,  'Lord,  it  is 
good  for  us  to  be  here.'  On  Friday  I  preached  twice.  On  this 
day  a  number  found  Jesus,  to  the  comfort  and  joy  of  their  souls. 
The  same  evening,  after  preaching,  I  requested  all  to  arise  who 
had  found  grace  and  pardon  during  the  meeting,  and  who  knew 
that  they  had  passed  from  death  unto  life,  whereupon  between 
twenty-five  and  thirty  were  not  ashamed  to  arise  and  testify  that 
they  had  obtained  peace  with  God  during  the  meeting. 

"At  the  close  of  the  meeting  I  gave  an  invitation  to  all  who 
desired  to  unite  with  the  Association,  and  a  considerable  number 
of  the  newly  converted  gave  me  their  right  hand,  to  go  with  us  to 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Two  years  ago  we  had  no  members  in 
this  locality,  but  now  we  have  a  congregation  consisting  of  near 
fifty  members.  Now  we  prosper.  The  persecution  since  our 
meeting  is  pretty  severe.  Still  the  Lord  is  with  His  people,  and 
all  things  shall  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  Him. 

"I  believe  it  would  in  general  be  a  great  advantage  on  the 
various  circuits,  if  more  such  protracted  meetings  were  held,  be- 
cause frequently,  when  the  two  or  three  days'  meetings  are  held, 
the  interest  is  not  reached  until  near  the  close.  Then  they  are 
ended,  and  perhaps  little  good  has  been  accomplished,  and  the 
work  of  God's  servants  is  sometimes  almost  in  vain.*  But  if 
such  meetings  were  continued,  many  more  precious  souls  might 
be  saved.  In  many  cases  they  go  home  under  the  pressure  of 
their  sins,  and  perhaps  after  a  while  became  cold  and  indifferent, 
and  may  never  again  come  to  such  a  realization  of  their  state. 
O,  brethren  in  the  Gospel !  let  us  work  right  earnestly  in  the 
vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  make  use  of  every  good  means  pos- 
sible for  the  salvation  of  souls  and  the  extension  of  the  kingdom 
of  Christ. 

"In  the  beginning  of  this  month,  I  held  a  three  daysT*  meet- 
ing in  Mayer's  settlement,  near  Clarksville,  where  the  Lord  be- 
stowed his  blessing.    God's  children  were  revived,  and  sinners 

*  The  idea  of  Boas  was  that  the  general  or  quarterly  meeting  should  be  con- 
tinued, or  followed  up  with  services  specially  intended  to  bring  about  the  con- 
version of  souls  under  conviction.  This  idea  was  favorably  received.  The 
following  year,  1837,  in  the  announcement  of  the  dedication  of  our  first  church 
in  Philadelphia,  John  Seybert,  the  presiding  elder,  adds  :  "The  services  will 
be  continued  during  the  week,  and  as  long  as  it  may  be  advisable." 


188  E  VANGELIGAL  AS80GIA  TION  ANNALS. 


became  alarmed,  so  that  they  prayed  to  God  earnestly  for  the 
pardon  of  their  sins.  Several  went  away  wounded,  while  others 
realized  the  pardon  of  their  sins  the  following  Monday,  after 
earnestly  pleading,  and  were  made  happy  in  God.  Things  are 
prosperous,  in  general,  in  our  borders.  There  have  been  con- 
versions again  and  again  since  we  are  on  this  district,  and  God's 
children  are  encouraged.  The  prospects  in  many  places  are 
good  for  conversions.  We  live  in  good  hopes  that  Babel  will 
soon  fall,  and  Christ's  kingdom  will  be  established.    J.  Boas." 

Camp-Meetlugs  were  introduced  into  the  society  in  1810, 
and  have  ever  since  been  an  important  means  for  the  promotion 
of  the  work  of  the  Lord.  The  first  one  was  held  on  the  land  of 
Brother  Michael  Maize,  about  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  New 
Berlin,  Pa.,  and  began  May  10,  1810.  This  seems  to  have  been 
the  first  German  camp-meeting  ever  held  either  in  America  or 
Europe.  Great  multitudes  attended  it,  and  the  society  entered 
a  new  opoch  of  its  history.  Another  camp  was  held  the  follow- 
ing October,  on  the  land  of  Rev.  George  Miller,  in  Allemangel 
Comer,  Berks  county.  The  third  camp  was  held  in  the  latter 
part  of  May,  181 1,  on  the  land  of  Philip  Breitenstein,  near 
Lebanon.  The  year  181 2  was  a  year  of  sifting  and  sore  trial  for 
the  society,  and  it  appears  no  camp-meeting  was  held.  In  1813 
there  was  one  held  at  Turkey  Hill,  Lancaster  county,  beginning 
Sept.  I,  and  another  at  Michael  Maize's,  beginning  Sept.  8, 
both  of  which  resulted  in  many  conversions.  In  1814  four  camp- 
meetings  were  held,  one  in  Warrington  township,  York  county, 
on  the  land  of  Michael  Jacobs,  which  was  the  first  one  in  York 
county;  another  on  the  land  of  Daniel  Bertolett,  near  Fried- 
ensburgh ;  a  third  one  several  miles  northwest  of  Mifflinburgh, 
Union  county,  on  the  land  of  John  Buechler,  and  the  fourth 
on  the  land  of  George  Swartz,  near  Millheim,  Centre  county. 
In  1815  six  meetings  were  held  as  follows:  (i)  Near  Shrews- 
bury, York  county,  on  the  land  of  John  Seitz  ;  (2)  Near  Man- 
heim,  Lancaster  county,  on  the  land  of  Rev.  John  Sevbert; 
(3)  West  of  Jonestown,  Lebanon  county,  on  the  land  of  Adam 
Faber  ;  (4)  In  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  county,  on  the  land  of 
Father  Martin  Dreisbach  ;  (5)  A  few  miles  east  of  Hagers- 
town,  Md.,  on  the  land  of  Leonard  Middlekaufk  ;  (6)  In 
Somerset  county. 

Some  of  the  most  interesting  and  exciting  episodes  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Church  are  connected  with  the  camp-meetings,  not 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


189 


only  in  the  early  days,  but  also  in  comparatively  recent  years. 
It  was  nothing  unusual  for  mobs  to  attack  the  camp  and  break 
it  up  altogether.  In  a  number  of  instances  the  evil  designs  of 
tne  ruffians  were  thwarted  by  special  providences.  Sometimes 
God's  people  would  fall  upon  their  knees  and  cry  mightily  for 
help.  This  would  sometimes  over-awe  the  mob  and  strike  terror 
to  the  hearts  of  some,  who  would  fall  down  at  the  altar  and  plead 
for  mercy.  It  is  worthy  of  record  that  in  many  places  where 
the  opposition  against  our  Church  was  greatest,  our  work  is  now 
the  strongest. 

In  some  localities  the  camp-meeting  became  very  popular  in 
course  of  time,  and  civic  and  military  organizations  resorted  to 
them  to  hear  special  sermons.  An  interesting  incident  of  this 
kind  took  place  at  a  camp-meeting  held  on  the  land  of  Abraham 
BucHMAN,  at  "the  Pines,"  near  Shippensburgh,  where  a  consid- 
erable body  of  State  troops  attended  service.  In  his  report  of 
Salem  District,  dated  Aug.  20,  1838,  John  Sevbert  gives  the 
following:  "On  Wednesday,  July  4,  the  Independent  Company 
came  from  Blockhouse  in  their  uniforms,  with  music,  and  in 
military  order,  to  the  camp-ground,  to  hear  a  sermon.  Their 
conduct  was  commendable.  The  sermon  dwelt  on  civil  and  re- 
ligious liberty.  The  same  night  one  of  the  soldiers  became 
spiritually  distressed,  and  cried  most  earnestly  to  the  Lord  for 
the  pardon  of  his  sins,  which  he  also  realized  to  the  comfort  of 
his  soul."* 

In  1830  a  camp-meeting  was  held  near  New  Bloomfield,  Perry 
county,  Pa.  Rev.  J.  M.  Savlor,  who  was  present  as  a  visitor, 
was  requested  to  preach  on  Sunday.  An  immense  crowd  thronged 
the  ground,  and  there  was  great  disturbance,  caused  chiefly  by 
the  under-sheriff  of  the  county,  who  was  very  much  under  the 
influence  of  liquor.  He  encouraged  the  rabble  in  their  disorder, 
against  the  entreaties  of  the  peaceable  citizens  who  took  the  part 
of  the  camp-meeting  people.  The  disturbances  were  finally 
quelled  and  the  encampment  passed  a  quiet  night.  Early  next 
morning  four  men,  strangers,  entered  the  camp-ground,  talking 
in  an  excited  and  boisterous  manner.  Saylor  divined  their 
intentions,  and  advised  the  friends  to  remain  in  their  tents,  as 
there  might  be  trouble.  At  this  instant  one  of  the  men  exclaimed, 
"That's  one  of  them,"  and  proceeded  to  seize  Saylor.    He  at 

*  This  camp-meeting  was  held  on  the  land  of  Father  CHRISTIAN  EssiG,  a 
few  miles  west  of  Blockhouse  (Liberty),  Tioga  county,  Pa. 


190  K  VANQELICAL  A8S0CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


first  resisted,  but  discovering  the  character  of  the  men  he  said, 
"Excuse  me,  I  did  not  know  you  were  an  officer."  This  was 
the  high  sheriff  of  the  county.  Saylor  was  arrested  without  a 
warrant.  The  friends  begged  the  officers  to  permit  him  to  eat 
breakfast  before  taking  him  away.  He  was  then  taken  to  New 
Bloomfield,  the  county-seat.  Great  excitement  prevailed  in  the 
town,  and  the  people  came  in  throngs  to  learn  the  particulars  of 
the  affair.  Saylor  was  taken  to  a  hotel,  and  while  the  officers 
of  the  law  for  a  moment  disappeared,  he  began  pacing  the  floor, 
when  he  was  accosted  by  a  large  man  with  the  words  :  "What 
was  up  out  there  ?  I  guess  king  whiskey  ruled  out  at  your  camp 
last  night."  The  man  proved  to  be  Mr.  McIntyre,  the  leading 
lawyer  of  the  town,  who  had  come  to  befriend  the  camp-meeting 
people.  He  denounced  the  action  of  the  sheriff  as  outrageous 
and  a  disgrace  to  the  county,  and  said,  "We'll  get  you  out  of 
this  predicament  in  ten  minutes,  and  make  it  warm  for  the  sheriff. " 
He  advised  Saylor  to  give  no  bail,  as  the  arrest  was  illegal. 
Upon  this  the  sheriff  again  made  his  appearance  and  said  to 
Saylor,  "Come  on ;  you  must  appear  before  a  'squire,"  where- 
upon the  attorney  said,  "Hold  on,  sheriff,  I  claim  this  man  as 
my  client."  Saylor  was  hustled  off,  however,  to  a  magistrate's 
office,  the  good-hearted  lawyer  following  to  defend  the  innocent 
preacher.  When  Saylor  appeared  before  the  officer  of  the  law, 
there  was  no  indictment  against  him,  no  warrant  for  his  arrest, 
and  nothing  by  which  he  could  be  held,  so  the  magistrate  said, 
"Mr.  Saylor,  you  are  clear;  you  can  go."  The  lawyer,  turning 
to  the  sheriff,  said,  "I  will  give  you  half  an  hour  to  call  at  my 
office  and  make  this  matter  right."  The  sheriff,  however,  did 
not  appear,  and  the  lawyer  advised  a  process  against  him.  Ta 
this  Saylor  assented,  and  the  attorney  associated  with  him 
another  able  lawyer  named  Penrose  to  prosecute  the  case. 

The  suit  against  the  sheriff  awakened  great  interest  through- 
out the  county.  During  the  trial,  which  lasted  several  days, 
the  court-room  was  crowded  with  interested  spectators.  When 
Attorney  Penrose  addressed  the  jury  in  the  interests  of  his  perse- 
cuted client,  and  described  the  shameful  and  cruel  treatment 
inflicted  on  a  weak  and  defenseless  preacher,  at  the  hands  of 
officers  who  should  have  protected  him,  there  was  a  great  out- 
burst of  feeling  in  the  court-room ;  many  people  wept,  others 
were  filled  with  indignation.  The  counsel  for  the  defense  then 
arose,  not  to  defend  his  client,  but  to  plead  the  mercy  and  leniency 


THE  EARLY  DATS. 


of  the  Court.  Said  he,  "God  forbid  that  I  should  justify  the 
conduct  of  my  client.  I  plead  the  leniency  of  the  judge,  on 
account  of  the  family  of  my  client,"  etc.  The  judge  then  charged 
the  jury,  denouncing  the  prisoner  unmercifully.  He  declared 
that  it  was  not  ignorance  that  led  the  high  sheriff  and  under- 
sheriff  of  the  county  to  persecute  the  good  camp-meeting  people 
in  such  a  barbarous  manner,  but  "the  spirit  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  the  spirit  of  religious  bigotry,  and  the  spirit  of  the 
inquisition. "  Saylor  then  asked  permission  to  address  the  jury, 
which  was  granted.  He  explained  that  they  were  not  prompted 
by  motives  of  revenge  in  prosecuting  the  sheriff,  but  to  vindicate 
more  fully  the  cause  of  religious  freedom.  The  sheriff  was  found 
guilty  on  several  charges  and  fined  several  hundred  dollars, 
besides  the  costs,  which  were  considerable.  Saylor  desired  this 
fine  remitted,  but  the  attorneys  declared  that  the  offense  of  the 
sheriff  was  not  only  against  the  camp-meeting  people,  but  also 
against  the  fair  name  of  the  county  and  the  dignity  of  the  law, 
and  a  remission  of  punishment  would  defeat  the  ends  of  justice 
and  prove  detrimental  to  law  and  order.  When  the  sheriff  saw 
there  was  no  escape  from  the  penalty  of  the  law,  he  fled  from  his 
home  and  left  his  bondsmen  to  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  law. 
Saylor's  counsel,  who  had  so  ably  defended  and  vindicated  their 
client,  made  but  a  nominal  charge  for  their  services. 

This  prosecution  of  camp-meeting  disturbers  had  a  molt 
wholesome  effect.  Camp-meetings  were  thereafter  unmolested, 
and  the  work  of  the  Church  was  highly  successful  throughout 
that  section. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  incidents  in  the  history  of  camp- 
meetings  occurred  on  Aug.  23,  1840,  on  the  land  of  Daniel 
Shreffler,  at  Egg  Hill,  in  Centre  county.  The  author  of  this 
work  was  personally  acquainted  with  a  number  of  people  who 
witnessed  the  wonderful  phenomenon,  and  all  corroborate  the 
following  account  of  Rev.  George  Brickly,  which  was  published 
in  the  Christliche  Botschafter  soon  thereafter.  Brickley  was  the 
presiding  elder  in  charge  of  the  camp-meeting.    He  says  : 

"On  Sunday  previous  to  the  meeting,  there  was  preaching 
on  the  ground,*  and  in  the  afternoon  the  friends  and  others  from 
the  vicinity,  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  holding  a  prayer- 
meeting.    During  the  first  prayer  a  violent  storm  arose  which 

*  The  stand,  etc.,  had  been  erected  with  some  tents,  but  the  camp-meeting 
proper  had  not  yet  opened. — .\UTHOR. 


193 


EVANQELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


broke  down  the  trees  by  hundreds,  and  many  were  torn  out  by 

the  roots,  but  not  a  single  tree  on  the  camp-ground  was  broken 
off  or  damaged.  All  around  the  tent  area  were  strewn  the  fallen 
trees  and  branches  broken  off  and  torn  down  by  the  storm.  Near 
the  tent  ground  there  was  a  tree  of  immense  size,  measuring  over 
twelve  feet  in  circumference,  and  very  firmly  rooted,  so  that  it 
could  not  be  torn  up.  This  tree  was  broken  off  near  the  ground, 
although  nearly  sound  all  the  way  through.  This  may  give  some 
idea  of  the  violence  of  the  storm.  The  assembly  was  not  aware 
of  the  coming  storm,  until  it  was  too  late  to  flee  out  of  the  woods. 
Several,  however,  made  the  attempt,  but  were  frightened  by  the 
crashing  and  breaking  trees  and  returned.  But  few  remained  on 
their  knees  in  prayer ;  most  of  them  sprang  up,  and  were  much 
confused.  Some  cried  out,  "We  shall  all  be  killed."  Others 
were  overcome  by  the  power  of  God,  and  broke  out  in  praise. 
The  Lord  demonstrated  that  He  is  with  His  people,  and  all  were 
protected,  and  all  who  witnessed  the  scene  acknowledged  the 
hand  of  the  Most  High  in  the  protection  of  His  people." 


CHAPTER  X. 


Institutions  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  Embracing 
Her  Educational,  Missionary,  Benevolent  and  Pub- 
lishing Interests. 

The  Higher  Educatloil.  The  General  Conference  of  1843 
appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of  Bishops  John  Sevbert  and 
Joseph  Long,  and  Absalom  B.  Shaefer,  to  formulate  a  declara- 
tion expressing  the  views  of  that  body  on  the  subject  of  an  edu- 
cated ministry.  This  action  seems  to  have  become  necessary  to 
correct  a  general  impression  that  the  Evangelical  Association 
was  antagonistic  to  an  educated  clergy.  This  committee  not 
only  voiced  the  sentiment  of  the  General  Conference  of  1843,  but 
also  of  prior  and  subsequent  jtimes.  It  is  the  sentiment  of  the 
Church  to-day,  because  it  is  Biblical.  The  report,  which  ap- 
peared in  the  Botschafter  of  Dec.  i,  1843,  is  as  follows  :* 

"As  the  Evangelical  Association  is  charged  by  many,  though 
unjustly,  with  looking  upon  learning,  or  rather  a  classical  edu- 
cation of  the  ministry,  as  altogether  superfluous  and  useless,  yea, 
even  as  dangerous  and  injurious,  and  despising  for  this  reason 
all  higher  institutions  of  learning ;  this  body  feels  itself  called 
upon,  and  under  obligations  to  declare  and  express  its  views  on 
this  subject  in  public,  and  to  repel  thereby  this  false  charge. 

"It  is  indeed  true,  that  this  conference  believes  and  teaches, 
that  a//  human  wisdom,  learning,  and  knowledge,  without  a  di- 
vine call,  and  the  unction  of  the  Spirit,  qualify  no  man  for  the 
ministry;  and  that  a  man,  called  of  God  to  this  office,  and  filled 
with  the  Holy  Ghost  and  with  power  from  on  high,  without  greai 
human  learning,  or,  as  a  comparatively  illiterate  man,  can  be  a 

♦We  give  Orwig's  translation,  History  of  the  Evangelical  Association, 
oage  367, 


194 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALB. 


preacher  of  the  Gospel,  and  accomplish  much  good,  if  he  fears 
God,  and  is  conscientious  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 

"But  notwithstanding  this,  the  conference  acknowledges  and 
maintains,  that  learning,  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the  term, 
or  a  classical  education,  is,  in  many  respects,  of  great  use  to  a 
man  who  is  called  of  God  to  the  Gospel  ministry,  and  endowed 
with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  enhances  his  usefulness ;  or,  in  other 
words,  that  he  who  has  the  Divine  unction,  and  great  learning 
can,  in  many  instances,  and  even  generally,  accomplish  far  more 
in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  toward  the  conversion  of  the 
world  and  the  spread  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom,  than  the  un- 
learned man,  though  he  may  possess  the  same  measure  of  Divine 
unction  and  grace. 

' '  Entertaining  these  views  of  the  advantages  of  learning  in  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  this  conference  recommends  to  all  its 
candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  to  all  the  ministers  generally,  to 
take  proper  measures  to  store  their  minds  with  as  large  an  amount 
of  useful  information  as  they  possibly  can,  or  to  endeavor  to 
become  learned  and  literary  men,  who  have  also  the  unction  of 
the  Holy  Ghost." 

Union  Seminary.  \t  the  session  of  the  West  Pa.  (now 
Central  Pa.)  Conference,  held  in  1854,  it  was  resolved  to  estab- 
lish an  institution  of  learning,  to  be  called  "Union  Seminary  of 
the  West  Pa.  Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Association,"  with 
the  pro  vision  that  work  should  be  begun  as  soon  as  ?  1 5 , 000  should 
be  secured.  W,  W.  Orwig  and  Simon  Wolf  were  appointed  to 
collect  funds  and  a  board  of  trustees  was  elected,  consisting  of 
W.  W.  Orwig,  James  Dunlap,  Jacob  Boas  and  Lewis  May, 
ministers,  and  H.  High,  H.  D.  Maize  and  Hon.  Martin  Dreis- 
bach,  laymen.  The  requisite  sura  of  money  being  secured,  six 
acres  of  ground  were  purchased,  on  a  beautiful  slope  adjoining 
New  Berlin,  Union  county,  Pa.  On  this  ground  was  erected  a 
three-story  brick  edifice,  75x48  feet. 

The  West  Pa.  Conference  appointed  a  committee  to  attend 
the  session  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference  in  1855  for  the  purpose 
of  interesting  that  conference  in  the  project,  and  to  tender  an 
offer  to  unite  in  the  establishment  of  the  institution.  This  offer 
was  accepted  by  a  rising  vote,  and  the  conference  elected  a  board 
of  tnistees,  composed  of  ministers  and  laymen,  equal  in  number 
to  that  of  the  West  Pa.  Conference,  and  Solomon  Neitz  was 


INSTITUTIONS. 


195 


elected  agent  to  collect  funds  in  the  conference.  The  institution 
was  chartered,  and  embraced  a  course  of  three  years. 

In  January,  1856,  the  seminary  was  opened  for  the  admission 
of  students.  The  faculty  consisted  of  the  following  :  President, 
W.  W.  Orwig,  professor  of  moral  science  and  German;  F. iHen- 
DRiCKS,  mathematics ;  J.  S.  Whitman,  natural  sciences ;  A.  S, 
Sassaman,  ancient  languages  and  literature;  F.  C.  Hoffman, 
English  and  book-keeping;  G.  B.  Dechant,  vocal  music  ; 
Amanda  M.  Evans,  preceptress  and  instrumental  music ;  Hester 
A.  Stoner,  primary  department.  The  faculty  was  acknowledged 
to  be  a  strong  one.  Soon  after  the  seminary  opened,  a  "teachers' 
course"  of  three  years  was  added,  and  in  1859  a  "classical  col- 
legiate" course.  The  first  class  of  five  young  ladies  graduated 
in  1859.  The  scholastic  year  of  1858-59  was  the  most  successful 
in  the  history  of  the  institution.  There  were  264  students  regis- 
tered. At  the  end  of  the  collegiate  year  in  June,  1859,  President 
Orwig  resigned,  and  Prof.  Hendricks  was  elevated  to  the 
position.  He  was  both  able  and  popular,  and  worked  hard  to 
maintain  the  success  of  the  school.  In  i860,  however,  he  resigned 
and  Prof.  Sassaman  accepted  the  presidency.  The  number  of 
students  during  the  year  had  been  241.  At  the  close  of  the  year 
1861-62  President  Sassaman  resigned  and  Prof.  J.  H.  Leas  suc- 
ceeded him. 

Misfortunes  now  began  to  press  the  institution  severely,  throat- 
ing its  very  existence.  Chief  among  them  was  the  fact  that  the 
large  amount  of  money  had  been  raised  by  the  sale  of  scholarships 
—  a  plan  that  has  proved  disastrous  to  many  other  institutions. 
Then,  also,  the  country  was  very  much  disturbed  with  anxiety  and 
suspense,  and  finally  the  Civil  War  broke  out  and  a  large  number 
of  actual  and  prospective  students  enlisted  in  their  country's 
service.  The  continued  decrease  of  students  and  financial  embar- 
rassment soon  made  it  evident  that  the  institution  would  be 
compelled  to  suspend,  and  this  came  to  pass  with  the  close  of 
the  Spring  session  of  1863.  In  the  Spring  of  1865  the  property 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  sheriff.  Rev.  M.  J.  Carothers,  of 
the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  the  newly-elected  president  of  the 
board  of  trustees,  determined  to  rescue  the  institution  for  the 
church,  if  possible,  and  by  assuming  its  liabilities,  in  connection 
with  several  others,  saved  it  from  going  into  other  hands.  A 
•ociety  was  then  formed,  called  "The  Educational  Society  of 
the  Central  Pa.  Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Association  of 


1 96  EVANGELICAL  A880GIA  TION  ANNALS. 


North  America."  Under  this  new  control  the  school  was  again 
opened  in  1865,  with  Prof.  F.  C.  Hoffman  as  president.  Al- 
though Prof.  Hoffman  was  an  able  instructor,  the  school  had  a 
precarious  existence  for  years.  Its  charter  had  been  forfeited 
by  the  suspension  and  its  field  of  patronage  very  materially 
limited.  Prof.  Hoffman  was  succeeded,  in  1869,  by  Prof.  D. 
Denlinger,  who  continued  until  1874,  when  he  was  succeeded 
by  Prof.  F.  M.  Baker.  In  the  Centennial  year  of  1876  the 
Central  Pa.  and  East  Pa.  Conferences  again  united  to  establish 
anew  an  institution  worthy  of  the  Church.  A  certain  amount 
was  agreed  upon  as  the  basis  of  active  operations,  collectors  were 
appointed,  but,  alas  !  it  failed,  and  besides  the  wreck  of  its  own 
prospects,  the  "Centennial  College"  project  diverted  attention 
and  interest  from  the  struggling  seminary.  In  1872  Prof.  J.  W. 
Bentz  became  connected  with  the  school,  under  Prof.  Den- 
linger, and  continued  under  the  administration  of  Prof.  Baker. 
In  March,  1879,  Prof.  Baker  resigned,  and  Prof.  Bentz  succeeded 
to  the  presidency,  continuing  in  that  capacity  until  Autumn, when 
he  resigned,  and  was  succeeded  by  Prof.  A.  E.  Gobble,  the 
present  incumbent.  With  the  presidency  of  Prof.  Gobble  a  new 
era  dawned  upon  the  school.  Rev.  S.  I.  Shortiss  became  super- 
intendent of  the  school,  having  charge  of  the  building  and  the 
boarding  of  the  students.  In  the  Spring  of  1 880  a  new  curriculum 
was  adopted,  and  in  the  following  September  a  new  charter  was 
obtained  for  the  institution.  Soon  afterwards  there  was  added  a 
commercial  department,  and  in  1882  an  additional  course  called 
'  'The  Elementary  Course. "  The  institution  was  now  better  equip- 
ped than  ever  before,  and  prosperity  again  began  to  dawn. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  in  1883, 
the  educational  society  made  a  tender  of  the  institution  to  that 
body  for  a  nominal  sum,  with  the  proviso  that  the  conference 
assume  its  liabilities.  The  offer  was  accepted  on  condition  that 
the  liabilities  shall  not  exceed  $1,000.  The  transfer  was  con- 
summated at  the  conference  session,  and  that  body  at  once  elected 
a  board  of  trustees,  who  met  in  the  seminary  June  12,  1883, when 
the  legal  transfer  was  made  to  the  conference.  A  collegiate 
charter  was  obtained  this  year,  and  the  building  was  entirely 
remodeled  and  another  story  added.  -i 

In  1887  the  name  was  changed  to  "Central  Pennsylvania 
College."  In  1890  a  proposal  was  made  to  the  Pittsburgh  Con- 
ference that  a  two-seventh  interest  in  the  institution  should  be 


INBTITUTIONa. 


197 


transferred  to  them.    They  to  be  entitled  to  two  trustees  in  the 

Board,  on  condition  that  they  take  up  annually  a  collection  for 
its  benefit,  and  in  other  ways  use  their  influence  for  its  further- 
ance. At  the  conferences  of  1891  this  arrangement  was  fully 
consummated.  The  institution  now  embraces  five  courses,  viz. :  the 
Classical,  Scientific,  Theological,  Commercial  and  Elementary. 
Finally  it  remains  to  be  said  that  the  growth  and  prosperity  of 
Central  Pa.  College  is  greatly  due  to  the  untiring  zeal  of  its  pres- 
ident. Prof.  A.  E.  Gobble,  A.M.,  D.D.,  who  since  1880  has  been 
its  honored  head. 

Plainfield  and  Northwestern  College.  This  institution 
was  founded  in  January,  1861,  by  a  joint  committee  of  the  Illi- 
nois and  Wisconsin  Conferences.  The  citizens  of  Plainfield,  111., 
having  made  a  very  generous  offer,  arrangements  were  entered 
into  between  them  and  the  conference  committees  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  institution  at  that  place.  This  arrangement  was 
sanctioned  by  the  conferences  interested.  The  following  invita- 
tion was  extended  to  other  conferences,  and  personally  presented 
to  them  by  the  agent : 

'■^Resolved,  That  we  invite  any  of  our  sister  conferences,  which 
may  desire  to  unite  with  us  in  the  erection  and  maintenance  of 
Plainfield  College,  to  do  so,  with  the  assurance  that  they  shall 
enjoy  equal  privileges  with  this  and  the  Wisconsin  Conferences, 
provided  they  unite  with  us  within  a  year  from  this  date." 

J.  J.  EsHER,  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  was  appointed  agent 
for  the  institution,  through  whose  instrumentality  the  Iowa  and 
Indiana  Conferences  united  in  the  compact,  and  in  later  years 
eleven  others  joined  them.  In  1863  R.  Dubs  was  elected  finan- 
cial agent,  who  proved  an  efficient  and  energetic  collector,  and 
succeeded  in  securing  a  considerable  endowment  fund,  which  has 
since  been  increased  to  over  $100,000. 

Plainfield  College  was  opened  in  1862,  with  Prof.  A.  A.  Smith, 
as  president.  The  institution  received  its  collegiate  charter  in 
1865,  and  graduated  its  first  class  in  1866. 

Plainfield  being  isolated  from  the  railroads,  and  the  buildings 
being  inadequate  for  the  purposes  of  the  school,  it  was  resolved 
to  remove  it.  This  was  done  in  1870,  when  it  was  established 
at  Naperville,  111.,  as  Northwestern  College.  Here  fine  and 
commodious  buildings  were  erected,  and  with  good  railroad 
facilities  the  institution  entered  upon  a  career  of  great  prosper- 
ity.    Its  curriculum  embraced  nine  courses  of  study.  The 


198  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


faculty  has  always  been  a  strong  one,  and  the  institution  has 
richly  merited  the  success  it  has  enjoyed. 

In  1883  President  Smith,  after  a  faithful  service  of  twenty- 
one  years,  resigned  the  position  because  of  the  infirmities  of  age. 
He  was,  however,  retained  as  president  emeritus,  and  Prof.  H. 
H.  Rassweiler,  Ph.D.,  was  elected  acting  president. 

Union  Biblical  Institute,  as  an  adjunct  to  Northwestern 
College,  was  founded  in  1875.  It  embraces  a  three  years'  course 
in  Theology  and  Biblical  Literature.  It  has  an  endowment  fund 
of  $30,000,  and  is  well  maintained. 

Schuylkill  Seminary  was  founded  at  the  session  of  the 
East  Pa.  Conference  in  1881.  The  committee  to  whom  was 
entrusted  its  establishment  consisted  of  seven  ministers  and  two 
laymen.  A  suitable  building  was  secured  in  the  city  of  Reading, 
Pa.,  on  the  comer  of  Sixth  and  Walnut  Streets.  The  institution 
was  formally  opened  Aug.  16,  1881,  the  exercises  being  held  in 
the  Eighth  Street  church.  Rev.  S.  S.  Chubb  was  the  general 
manager,  and  Prof.  W.  E.  Walz,  principal.  At  the  conference 
session  of  1882  the  new  charter  was  adopted  and  the  previous 
officers,  were  reelected. 

During  the  Summer  of  1882  Col.  J.  H.  Lick,  a  benevolent  - 
citizen  of  Lebanon,  Pa.,  made  a  munificent  offer  to  the  confer- 
ence toward  the  permanent  establishment  of  the  seminary.  The 
trustees  of  the  institution  were  instructed  to  consider  the  proposal 
and  also  to  look  after  other  proposed  locations.  The  conference 
after  mature  deliberation  accepted  the  offer  of  Col.  Lick,  which 
was  as  follows :  Eight  acres  of  land  on  which  to  erect  the  build- 
ings, situated  at  Fredericksburgh,  Lebanon  county,  Pa. ;  a  cash 
donation  of  $20,000  towards  the  building,  which  shall  not  cost 
less  than  $25,000  ;  $3,000  towards  furnishing  the  institution,  and 
$1,000  towards  beautifying  the  grounds.  The  conditions  im- 
posed on  the  conference  were  duly  met,  and  work  on  the  edifice 
was  commenced  in  1884.  The  building  is  situated  on  a  com- 
manding eminence,  overlooking  a  beautiful  valley  with  the  Blue 
Mountains  in  the  distance.  The  main  building  is  seventy-five 
by  fifty  feet  in  dimension,  with  an  eastern  wing  seventy-eight  by 
forty  feet,  four  stories  in  height,  built  of  brick  and  stone,  and 
cost  upwards  of  $30,000.  On  Sept.  i,  1886,  it  was  dedicated 
with  imposing  ceremonies,  all  the  bishops,  and  many  of  the 
leading  men  of  the  Church  being  present.-  Ths  school  opened 
with  the  Fall  term  of  this  year.    In  1883  President  Walz  was 


INSTITUTIONS. 


appointed  missionary  to  Japan,  and  was  succeeded  by  Prof.  J.  F. 
Crowell.  Prof.  C.  desiring  to  finish  a  post  graduate  course, 
Prof.  T.  S.  Stein  took  his  place  as  acting  president.  After  com- 
pleting his  course  Prof.  Croweli,  took  charge  of  the  school, 
but  resigned  in  1888,  and  Prof.  G.  Holtzapfel  was  elected  and 
took  charge  at  the  Fall  term  of  this  year.  Schuylkill  Seminary 
embraces  three  regular  courses  of  instruction,  viz. :  Classical, 
Greek  and  Latin  Scientific,  and  English  Scientific. 

LaFayette  Seminary.  This  youngest  institution  of  learn- 
ing in  the  Evangelical  Association  was  founded  by  the  Educa- 
tional Association  of  the  Oregon  Conference.  The  seminary  is 
situated  in  the  town  of  LaFayette,  Oregon.  The  property  was 
generously  donated  to  the  society  by  the  citizens  of  the  place. 
The  dedicatory  services  were  held  in  the  chapel  of  the  seminary 
Sept.  10,  1889,  and  the  following  day  the  school  was  opened  for 
the  reception  of  students  under  very  favorable  auspices. 

Albrisht  Seminary,*  the  first  institution  of  learning  in  the 
association,  was  projected  at  the  first  session  of  the  Pittsburg 
Conference  in  1852.  A  committee  of  five  was  appointed,  to 
whom  the  work  of  establishment  was  entrusted,  with  directions 
to  begin  as  soon  as  $1,500  was  secured.  When  this  was  accom- 
plished a  suitable  edifice  was  secured  in  Berlin,  Somerset  county, 
Pa.,  and  the  school  was  opened  in  August,  1853,  with  Prof.  J.  F. 
Eberhart  as  principal.  At  the  conference  session  of  1854  the 
number  of  students  was  108.  On  March  8,  1854,  the  citizens  of 
Berlin  held  a  public  meeting  to  give  expression  to  their  satisfac- 
tion with  the  school  and  take  steps  for  the  erection  of  buildings 
for  it.  Four  thousand  dollars  was  subscribed  for  this  purpose. 
It  seems,  however,  that  the  people  generally  in  the  conference 
were  not  prepared  for  the  project,  and  the  school  began  to  lan- 
guish for  lack  of  support.  In  1856  the  Ohio  Conference  invited 
the  Pittsburg  Conference  to  unite  with  it  in  the  establishment  of 
Greensburg  Seminary.  This  proposition  was  accepted  and  the 
interests  of  Albright  Seminary  were  absorbed  by  the  new  insti- 
tution in  Ohio. 


*  Note. — We  give  the  following  account  of  the  defunct  literary  institutions 
of  the  Evangelical  Association,  not  only  as  a  matter  of  interest,  but  also  to  illus- 
trate the  general  desire  in  the  Church  for  literary  culture.  In  this  direction  the 
Church  has  experienced  many  bitter  disappointments  and  vicissitudes,  in  common 
with  other  denominations,  in  the  establishment  of  institutions  of  learning. 


200  ]£VANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALQ. 


Greeusburg  Setninary  was  founded  in  1855  by  the  Ohio 
Confeience.  At  its  annual  session  this  year  it  was  resolved  to 
purchase  the  Greenfield  Seminary  building,  situated  at  Greens- 
burg,  O.  The  committee  to  whom  the  matter  was  entrusted 
consisted  of  Bishop  Long,  Rev.  Chas.  Hammer  and  Rev.  G.  F. 
Spreng.  The  edifice  purchased  was  of  brick,  56x36  feet.  A 
committee  of  eight  ministers  and  four  laymen  of  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference took  charge  of  it.  The  school  opened  Oct.  21,  1855, 
Prof.  J.  A.  Reubelt,  president.  In  1856  J.  Kanaga  was  elected 
agent,  and  a  union  was  effected  with  Albright  Seminary,  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference.  In  1857  Prof.  A. 
A.  Smith  became  principal  and  continued  as  such  until  1862, 
when  he  was  called  to  the  presidency  of  Plainfield  College.  Prof. 
W.  J.  Hahn  succeeded  him  and  remained  its  head  until  its  close. 
The  Civil  War  had  a  disastrous  effect  on  the  institution.  This, 
and  a  lack  of  interest  on  the  part  of  the  conferences  under  whose 
auspices  it  was  established,  crippled  it  very  badly.  Bishop  Long 
canceled  the  indebtedness  of  the  seminary,  and  in  1861  the  Ohio 
Conference  vested  the  title  in  him.  From  this  time  Bishop  Long 
continued  the  school,  at  a  heavy  financial  loss  to  himself,  until 
1865,  when  he  disposed  of  the  property,  and  Greensburg  Semi- 
nary was  a  thing  of  the  past. 

Blalrstowti  Seminary  was  founded  by  the  Iowa  Confer- 
ence in  1867,  at  Blairstown,  la.  Prof.  W.  J.  Hahn,  formerly 
president  of  Greensburg  Seminary,  was  its  president.  It  embraced 
two  courses,  a  classical  course  of  four,  and  a  teacher's  course  of 
three  years.  After  being  in  operation  thirteen  terms,  the  insti- 
tution, unable  to  overcome  the  many  difficulties  with  which  it 
had  to  contend,  was  forced  to  suspend. 

Missionary  Society.  The  Eastern  Conference,  at  its  ses- 
sion in  1838,  organized  itself  into  a  missionary  society,  of  which 
W.  W.  Orwig  was  president ;  J.  P.  Leib,  vice  president ;  J. 
VoGELBACH,  Secretary,  and  T.  Buck,  treasurer.  A  deep  interest 
was  awakened  in  the  missionary  cause  by  this  organization,  aux- 
iliaries were  formed  and  money  was  collected,  which,  at  the  close 
of  the  year,  amounted  to  $500. 

Notwithstanding  the  prospective  efficiency  and  usefulness  of 
this  organization,  it  was  felt  that  a  General  or  Parent  Society, 
to  which  conference  organizations  should  be  auxiliary,  was  a 
necessity.  At  a  general  meeting  held  at  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  over 
Christmas,  1838,  a  number  of  ministers  and  laymen  met  at  the 


INSTITUTIONS. 


201 


house  of  W.  W.  Orwig  for  the  purpose  of  discussing  the  advisa- 
bility of  organizing  such  a  society.  At  this  meeting  a  committee, 
composed  of  Revs.  John  Seybert,  George  Brickley  and  W.W. 
Orwig,  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  constitution  for  adoption  at 
a  subsequent  meeting.  On  March  i,  1839,  another  meeting  was 
held  at  the  house  of  John  S.  Dunkel,  in  Buffalo  Valley,  near 
New  Berlin.  At  this  meeting  the  missionary  society  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association  was  organized,  and  the  constitution  prepared 
by  the  committee  submitted  and  adopted.  The  officers  of  the 
society  were  the  following :  President,  John  Seybert  ;  first  vice 
president,  James  Barber;  second  vice  president,  Daniel  Berger; 
third  vice  president,  George  Brickley  ;  secretary,  Solomon  G. 
Miller;  corresponding  secretary, W.  W.  Orwig  ;  treasurer,  John 
S.  Dunkel;  directors  (ministers),  Charles  Hammer,  Henry 
Thomas,  Sebastian  Mosser,  Philip  Wagoner,  'Michael  F. 
Maize  and  Philip  Smith  (local);  laymen.  Dr.  I.  Brugger,  Hon. 
Martin  Dreisbach,  Martin  D.  Reed,  John  Rohland,  Isaac 
Ever,  John  Maize,  Leonard  Gebhart  and  John  Kauffman. 
At  the  General  Conference  held  a  few  weeks  later,  the  constitu- 
tion of  the  society  was  submitted  for  inspection,  with  the  result 
that  it  was  approved  and  the  society  recognized  as  a  general 
church  organization,  at  which  time  its  official  history  properly 
begins.  The  previously  organized  society  of  the  Eastern  Con- 
ference became  an  auxiliary  to  the  Parent  Society  soon  after  its 
organization.  The  first  meeting  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
general  society  was  held  at  New  Berlin,  June  17,  1839,  at  which 
time  by-laws  were  adopted.  The  first  annual  meeting  of  the 
society  was  held  at  New  Berlin,  April  21,  1840.  At  this  meeting 
it  was  resolved  to  have  500  copies  of  the  constitution  printed  for 
distribution.  A  committee,  consisting  of  Charles  Hammer, 
George  Brickley  and  S.  G.  Miller,  was  appointed  to  have 
the  society  incorporated.  The  corresponding  secretary,  W.  W. 
Orwig,  read  the  first  annual  report,  which  indicates  a  prosperous 
condition  of  the  society,  and  all  the  missionaries  receiving  sup- 
port from  the  society  reported  success  on  their  respective  fields. 
The  receipts  of  the  society  for  the  year,  inclusive  of  the  $500 
gathered  by  the  conference  society  of  the  year  previous,  was 
$1,434.31.  The  officers  elected  at  this  meeting  were  :  President, 
Rev.  Chas.  Hammer  ;  vice  presidents,  J.  Barber,  G.  Brickley 
and  P.  Wagoner;  secretary,  S.  G.  Miller;  corresponding  sec- 
retary, W.  W.  Orwig  ;  treasurer,  J.  S.  Dunkel.    This  is  in  brief 


202 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


a.  history  of  the  beginning  of  the  Parent  Missionary  Society  of 
the  Evangelical  Association.  All  the  annual  conferences  are 
auxiliaries,  while  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society  may  also  be 
regarded  in  that  relation.  It  has  sent  hundreds  of  missionaries, 
not  only  to  the  western  frontiers  and  the  Pacific  and  gulf  coast, 
but  also  to  Europe  and  the  heathen  world,  and  many  thousand 
souls  have  been  saved  through  its  instrumentality. 

In  1859  corresponding  secretary  was  elected  by  the  Gen- 
eral Conference,  and  from  that  time  on  that  officer  devoted 
himself  entirely  to  the  interests  of  the  society. 

Womail's  Missionary  Society.  The  first  Woman's  Mis- 
sionary Society  in  the  Evangelical  Association  was  organized  in 
Philadelphia,  Pa. ,  in  the  Autumn  of  1839.  The  society  numbered 
over  sixty  members.  They  adopted  an  excellent  constitution 
which  was  published  in  the  Christliche  Botschafter  in  December, 
1839.  Soon  after  this  the  pastor  forsook  his  charge,  and  through 
the  commotion  which  ensued,  the  society  was  discontinued. 
Local  societies  were  afterwards  formed  at  several  places  in  the 
Church,  but  there  was  no  connection  whatever  between  them. 

In  1877-78  a  movement  took  shape  which  finally  resulted  in 
the  formation  of  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association.  In  1878  there  appeared  in  the  Evangelical 
Messenger  appeals  on  the  subject  by  Miss  Rachel  Hudson,  one 
of  our  missionaries  in  Japan,  and  also  from  Miss  Ella  J.  Yost 
(Prever),  of  Cleveland,  O.  About  this  time  (1878)  a  number 
of  the  sisters  in  Cleveland,  O.,  petitioned  the  Board  of  Missions 
for  the  privilege  of  organizing  a  society,  auxiliary  to  the  Parent 
Society,  but  their  appeal  was  refused,  through  the  determined 
opposition  of  several  of  the  highest  dignitaries  of  the  Church, 
whose  influence  prevailed  in  the  board.  A  second  appeal  was 
made  by  the  society  of  Lindsey,  O.,  in  October,  1880,  which 
would  have  met  the  same  fate  as  the  former,  but  for  the  earnest 
efforts  of  the  editors  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  through  whose 
efforts,  chiefly,  the  petition  was  granted,  on  the  condition  that 
the  society  be  organized  with  the  consent  and  under  the  super- 
vision of  the  preacher-in-charg6  where  such  society  is  organized. 
Under  this  arrangment  the  first  society  was  formed  at  Lindsey, 
O.,  Oct.  27,  and  another  about  this  time  in  South  Chicago,  111. 
In  the  following  year  another  was  formed  in  Cleveland,  O.  The 
subject  was  agitated  in  the  Church  papers,  and  appeals  were 
made  to  the  sisters  to  organize  local  societies.    The  movement 


INSTITUTIONS. 


203 


gradually  resulted  in  the  organization  of  the  General  Society,  with 
headquarters  at  Cleveland,  O.  The  central  society  was  called 
the  Cleveland  Woman's  Missionary  Society,  of  which  Miss  Ella 
J,  Yost  was  president. 

The  third  general  convention  of  the  society  was  opened  June 
4,  1883,  in  Calvary  Evangelical  Church  in  Cleveland,  O.  Very 
cheering  reports  were  rendered  by  the  local  societies  and  the 
prospects  of  the  General  Society  were  very  encouraging.  The 
chief  aim  of  this  convention  was  to  take  steps  to  secure  the  recog- 
nition of  the  W.  M.  S.  by  the  coming  General  Conference  (1883). 
For  this  purpose  a  committee  of  seven  ladies  was  appointed  to 
prepare  an  appeal  to  be  presented  to  the  General  Conference  for 
recognition.  This  committee  consisted  of  Mrs.  W.  H.  Hammer, 
Mrs.  E.  J.  Y.  Prever,  Mrs.  H.  C.  Smith,  Mrs.  W.  C.  Kantner, 
Mrs.  H.  B.  Hartzler,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Spreng,  and  Miss  Minerva 
Strawman.  The  General  Conference  took  favorable  action,  and 
the  W.  M.  S.  became  an  auxiliary  to  the  Parent  Society. 

The  first  general  convention  of  the  society  in  its  new  relation 
was  held  in  the  Calvary  Evangelical  Church,  Cleveland,  O.,  Oct. 
10-14,  1884.  At  this  meeting  the  new  constitution  was  adopted 
and  the  following  officers  were  elected  for  the  ensuing  year : 
President,  Mrs.  E.  J.  Y.  Prever,  vice  presidents,  Mrs.  H.  C. 
Smith,  Mrs.  J.  Bowman,  Miss  Minerva  Strawman  ;  recording 
secretary.  Miss  Emma  Yost  ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.  W. 
H.  Hammer;  treasurer,  Mrs.  U.  F.  Swengel.  In  1885  the 
convention  was  held  in  Lindsey,  O.,  Sept.  25-27.  The  progress 
of  the  society  was  very  gratifying ;  forty-six  local  societies  ren- 
dered reports.  The  treasurer  reported  the  amount  of  $1,532.84 
contributed  for  the  past  year.  The  following  officers  were  elected : 
President,  Mrs.  H.  B.  Hartzler  ;  vice  president,  Mrs.  E.  J.  Y. 
Prever;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.W.  H.  Hammer;  record-- 
ing  secretary,  Mrs.  S.  S.  Condo ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  U.  F.  Swengel. 
In  1886  the  convention  met  in  Naperville,  111.,  Oct.  i.  The 
auxiliaries  numbered  sixty,  with  1,651  members.  The  contribu- 
tions aggregated  $1,573.95.  The  officers  elected  were  :  President, 
Mrs.  H.  B.  Hartzler;  vice  presidents,  Mrs.  H.  C.  Smith,  Mrs. 
G.  F.  Stauffer  and  Mrs.  Dr.  Krecker;  recording  secretary, 
Mrs.  S.  S.  Condo;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.W.  H.  Hammer; 
treasurer,  Mrs.  U.  F.  Swengel. 

"Missionary  Messenger."  In  the  Autumn  of  1886  a 
number  of  the  brethren  at  the  book  establishment  formed  them- 


204  BVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


selves  into  a  company  for  the  purpose  of  publishing  a  paper  for 
the  society.  Rev.  H.  B.  Hartzler  was  the  managing  editor 
and  Rev.  U.  F.  Swengel  publisher  of  the  paper.  It  made  its 
appearance  in  October  of  this  year,  and  bore  the  title  of  Mission- 
ary Messenger.  The  W.  M.  S.  Convention  of  this  month  adopted 
the  periodical  as  the  organ  of  the  society,  and  Mrs.  E.  J.  Y. 
Prever  was  elected  editress  on  behalf  of  the  society. 

In  1887  the  convention  was  held  in  Calvary  Evangelical 
Church,  Cleveland,  O.,  Aug.  26.  There  were  seventy-eight  aux- 
iliary societies  reported,  with  2,048  members.  The  contributions 
amounted  to  $2,066.60.  The  following  officers  were  elected: 
President,  Mrs.  H.  B.  Hartzler;  vice  presidents,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Krecker,  Mrs.  H.  C.  Smith,  Mrs.  F.  G.  Stauffer;  recording 
secretary,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Spreng;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs.W. 
H.  Hammer  ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  U.  F.  Swengel  :  Editor  Mission- 
ary Messenger,  Mrs.  E.  J.  Y.  Preyer. 

At  the  General  Conference  of  1887  the  Missionary  Messenger 
was  tendered  to  the  authorities  of  the  Church  and  accepted,  and 
taken  charge  of  by  the  General  Conference.  The  corresponding 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Parent  Society  became  the  editors, 
and  also  Mrs.  E.  J.  Y.  Prever  for  the  W.  M.  S.  The  society 
also  petitioned  the  General  Conference  to  permit  them  to  devote 
their  funds  to  some  definite  purpose,  whereupon  the  conference 
passed  the  following:  "Whereas,  Our  sisters  express  a  desire 
to  undertake  the  support  of  a  special  part  of  our  mission  field ; 
therefore,  be  it  further  Resolved,  That  the  -support  of  our  mis- 
sionary in  Washington  Territory  and  that  of  Sister  Johnson  in 
Japan  be  committed  to  their  care,  under  t^ie  direction  of  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Missionary  Society." 

Ebenezer  Orphan  Home  owes  its  origin  chiefly  to  a  spirit 
of  benevolence  manifested  in  several  articles  which  appeared  in 
the  Christ liche  Botschafier,  about  the  year  i860.  These  articles 
awakened  an  interest  in  the  orphan  cause  throughout  the  Church, 
and  contributions  for  an  Orphan  Home  were  freely  sent  in  before 
any  arrangments  for  its  establishment  were  made.  The  General 
Conference  of  1863,  reflecting  the  general  interest  in  the  cause, 
authorized  the  establishment  of  Orphan  Homes  by  the  annual 
conferences.  Ohio  was  the  first  to  move  in  the  matter,  as  in 
1865  George  Weiker,  of  Belleview,  very  generously  donated  a 
fine  farm  of  100  acres  to  the  Ohio  Conference  for  the  orphan 
cause.    The  conference  at  its  following  session,  1866,  took  prac- 


INSTITUTIONS. 


205 


tical  steps  in  the  matter  by  purchasing  a  property  at  Tiffin,  O., 
and  elected  Rev.  J.  G.  Zinzer  superintendent  and  collector,  and 
also  elected  a  board  of  trustees.  The  institution  was  opened 
July  I,  1866,  with  eight  children,  and  grew  in  favor  rapidly,  and 
soon  the  building  was  too  small  for  the  number  of  children  placed 
under  its  charge.  The  farm  donated  by  Brother  Weiker  and 
the  property  in  Tiffin  were  accordingly  sold,  and  several  tracts 
adjoining  each  other  and  containing  170  acres  were  purchased 
near  Flat  Rock,  O.  The  erection  of  suitable  buildings  was  soon 
after  commenced.  At  the  General  Conference  of  October,  1867, 
the  Ohio  Conference  tendered  the  institution  to  the  Church.  The 
tender  was  accepted,  and  the  General  Conference  named  the 
home  Ebenezer  Orphan  Institution  of  the  Evangelical  Associmtion 
of  North  America.  Brother  Zinzer  was  retained  as  superintend- 
ent and  L.  Scheurman  general  collector.  In  the  Winter  of  1867 
Brother  Zinzer's  health  failed  and  Rev.  Charles  Hammer  was 
<;lected  to  take  his  place.  By  the  latter  part  of  April,  1868,  the 
buildings  at  Flat  Rock  were  completed,  and  on  the  28th  of  that 
month  the  furniture  and  inmates  of  the  institution  were  removed 
from  Tiffin  to  the  new  quarters.  The  building  is  of  brick,  two 
stories  in  height,  and  consists  of  two  wings,  each  36x50  feet. 
The  estimated  assets,  when  adopted  by  the  General  Conference, 
was  $23,600,  which  included  the  building  then  in  course  of  erec- 
tion. May  3,  1868,  the  new  edifice  was  dedicated  with  imposing 
ceremonies. 

In  his  quadrennial  report  to  the  General  Conference  of  187 1, 
Supt.  C.  Hammer  reports  that  since  the  last  General  Conference 
(1867)  eighty-nine  orphans  had  been  admitted  and  thirteen  dis- 
charged. Brother  Hammer  was  re-elected  for  another  quadren- 
nium.  In  1875  he  reports  that  sixty-two  children  were  received 
during  the  last  four  years  and  fifty-three  discharged.  The  assets 
of  the  institution,  after  deducting  liabilities,  were  estimated  at 
$96,208.  At  this  conference  Jacob  Dreisbach,  of  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference, was  elected  superintendent  and  in  1879  he  was  re-elected. 
The  estimated  assets  of  the  home,  after  deducting  indebtedness, 
were  $71,004.  The  General  Conference  of  1883  passed  a  vote 
of  thanks  to  Supt.  Dreisbach  for  his  efficient  services  during  the 
last  term.  The  assets  were  reported  at  $71,530.  Rev.  E.  Kohr, 
of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  was  elected  superiatendent,  who 
shortly  afterward  resigned  on  account  of  impaired  health,  and 
Rev.  D.  Strohman,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  was  elected. 


206  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


During  the  quadrennium  the  home  prospered  greatly.  H. 
Engel,  who  lived  near  Flat  Rock,  bequeathed  a  fine  farm  of 
fifty  acres  to  the  home,  valued  at  $4,000.  The  institution  also 
came  in  possession  of  the  Stambach  farm,  in  Indiana,  valued  at 
$4,500.  The  treasurer  in  1877  reported  the  assets  to  be  $101,781, 
unencumbered.  At  this  conference  Rev.  C.  K.  Fehr,  of  the 
East  Pa.  Conference,  was  elected  superintendent. 

The  Charitable  Society  was  organized  at  Orwigsburg,Pa., 
July  4,  1836,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  worn-out  preachers 
of  the  association  and  preachers'  widows  and  orphans.  This 
chartered  fund  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  benevolent  spirit  mani- 
fested by  members  of  the  Church  who  made  provisions  in  their 
wills  for  this  purpose,  a  number  of  bequests  of  this  kind  having 
been  made  prior  to  the  organization  of  this  society.  The  first 
large  bequest  was  that  of  Maria  Kuster,  of  Lehigh  county,  whose 
house  had  been  a  preaching  place  in  the  days  of  Albright.  She 
willed  her  entire  estate  for  the  benefit  of  superannuated  preachers 
within  the  limits  of  Pennsylvania  exclusively,  but  the  Eastern 
Conference,  after  acquiring  the  legacy,  which  amounted  to 
$2,600,*  very  generously  relinquished  their  exclusive  claim,  and 
it  flowed  into  the  common  treasury.  Previous  to  the  organization 
of  the  society,  the  beneficiary  fund  had  been  accumulating  for  a 
number  of  years,  so  that  it  amounted  to  $4,312.03  at  the  time  of 
the  organization  of  the  society,  at  which  time  the  treasurer  of  the 
fund,  Rev.  John  Sevbert,  paid  that  sum  into  the  new  treasury. 
The  first  bequest  to  the  society  was  made  by  Sister  Kugler,  of 
of  Adams  county.  Pa.,  and  amounted  to  $3,150.  The  largest 
bequest  was  that  of  Frederick  Miller,  of  Washington  township, 
Lehigh  county,  Pa.  He  was  converted  under  Albright,  and 
was  a  brother  of  Rev.  George  Miller,  one  of  the  first  preachers 
of  the  association.  His  legacies  to  the  Church  aggregated  the 
sum  of  $12,000,  of  which  $8,  i24f  was  secured.  Other  bequests 
were  those  of  Bishop  Sevbert,  $1,400;  Henry  Eby,  $600; 
Daniel  Kriebel,  $463  ;  all  from  Pennsylvania.  The  entire  fund 
in  1887  amounted  to  $24,822,  the  interest  of  which  is  divided 
annually  among  the  conferences  of  the  association.  John 


♦  Notes. — This  will  was  contested,  and  the  amount  here  given  was  awarded 
to  the  Church. 

I  This  will  was  also  contested,  and  the  above  sum  realized  after  a  litigation 
of  six  or  seven  years.  * 


INSTITUTIONS. 


207 


SEVBERTwas  its  president  from  its  organization  until  1844,  when 
J.  P.  Leib  succeeded  him,  continuing  in  the  office  until  i860. 
Sunday-Schools  and  Sunday-School  Literature.  The 

Evangelical  Association  has  ever  taken  a  deep  interest  in  Sabbath- 
schools.  The  first  school  organized  was  at  Lebanon,  Pa.,  in  the 
Autumn  of  1832.*  The  General  Conference  of  1835  directed 
that  Sunday-schools  should  be  organized  wherever  practicable, 
and  they  were  accordingly  organized  in  almost  every  church  then 
erected.  New  Berlin,  Philadelphia,  Orwigsburg,  etc.  Interesting 
reports  concerning  our  Sunday-schools  appear  in  the  first  volume 
of  the  Christ  lie  he  Botschafter  (1836). 

Of  literature  our  early  Sunday-schools  had  but  a  scanty  sup- 
ply, compared  with  the  present  time.  The  Eastern  Conference 
in  1837  ordered  the  printing  of  the  well-known  tickets  with  Bible 
verses.  This  was  the  first  direct  provision  in  that  line.  Soon 
after  this  little  Sunday-school  books,  including  a  small  primer, 
followed  and  did  good  service  for  many  years. 

Periodicals.  The  General  Conference  in  1855  made  pro- 
vision for  the  publication  of  a  Sunday-school  paper,  which  made 
its  appearance  in  January  of  the  following  year,  in  the  German 
language,  under  the  name  of  Der  Christliche  Kinderfreund.  It 
appeared  monthly,  but  after  187 1  bi-monthly,  and  still  later 
weekly,  as  desired.  In  1863  the  General  Conference  ordered 
the  publication  of  an  English  Sunday-school  paper,  which  made 
its  appearance  in  1864  as  The  Evangelical  Sunday-School  Mes- 
senger. It  was  also  published  monthly  at  first,  then  bi-monthly, 
and  weekly  in  later  years.  The  International  Sunday-School 
Lesson  System  was  adopted  by  the  Church  almost  in  the  begin- 
ning of  its  appearance,  and  the  lessons  were  published  in  the 
form  of  Lesson  Leaves,  and  also  in  the  magazines  and  weeklies 
of  the  Church.  In  1875  the  General  Conference  ordered  the 
publication  of  The  Sunday-School  Teacher,  and  also  lesson  papers, 

*NoTE. — In  the  Christliche  Botschafter  of  1839,  page  39,  is  found  a  report 
of  the  Lebanon  Sunday-school,  furnished  by  Rev.  J.  C.  Reisner,  in  which  he 
states  that  the  "society"  was  organized  in  1832.  As  the  locality  of  the  first 
Sunday-school  in  the  Church  has  been  a  matter  of  controversy,  Dr.  C.  B.  Wag- 
oner,  who  has  been  connected  with  the  First  Evangelical  Church  at  Lebanon 
and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday-school  for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  began 
an  investigation  into  the  facts  many  years  ago,  the  results  of  which  were  conclu- 
sive. He  found  documentary  evidence  showing  that  the  school  was  organized 
in  the  Fall  of  1832,  besides  the  testimony  of  several  persons  who  attended  the 
school     that  time. 


1908  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


in  both  languages,  for  the  primary  department.  Under  a  reso- 
lution of  encouragement  from  the  General  Conference  of  1867,  a 
company  was  formed  for  the  publication  of  an  English  monthly 
magazine.  This  periodical  made  its  appearance  in  January,  1869, 
under  the  title  of  The  Living  Epistle,  and  was  specially  devoted  to 
the  subject  of  holiness.  In  187 1  it  was  tendered  to  and  accepted 
by  the  General  Conference,  and  thereafter  appeared  as  one  of 
the  publications  of  the  Church.  It  was  much  enlarged  in  1875. 
The  German  monthly,  Das  Evangelische  Magazine,  was  estab- 
lished about  the  same  time  as  the  Epistle.  The  Epistle  is  edited 
by  the  English,  and  the  Magazine  by  the  German  editor  of  the 
Sunday-school  literature. 

Children's  Day.  In  1880  all  Christian  denominations 
celebrated  the  centennial  anniversary  of  the  establishment  of 
Sunday-schools  by  Robert  Raikes  in  England.  At  a  meeting 
of  the  Sunday-School  and  Tract  Union  of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation in  Cleveland,©.,  April  24,  1880,  it  was  decided  to  observe 
June  27  as  Children's  Day,  and  the  editors  of  the  Sunday-school 
literature  were  directed  to  prepare  a  suitable  program,  which  was 
furnished  gratis  to  all  schools  desiring  it.  The  collections  of 
that  day  were  devoted  to  the  Sunday-School  and  Tract  cause.  The 
day  was  generally  observed,  and  a  general  desire  was  expressed 
by  Sunday-schools  to  continue  its  observance.  It  was  decided 
to  celebrate  the  last  Sunday  in  June  as  Children's  Day.  Several 
of  the  annual  conferences  passed  resolutions  endorsing  the  move- 
ment. The  General  Conference  of  1883  took  cognizance  of  the 
matter.  The  day  was  continued  by  that  body,  and  the  editors 
of  Sunday-school  literature  were  directed  to  prepare  the  program 
annually.  The  collections  on  this  day  were  ordered  to  be  paid 
into  the  General  Missionary  Treasury.  The  day  has  ever  since 
been  celebrated  annually  with  great  enthusiasm,  adding  another 
source  of  revenue  to  the  missionary  treasury.  The  aggregate 
collections  for  the  missionary  cause  from  its  first  observance  to 
1891  amounted  to  the  enormous  sum  of  550,000. 

Book  Establishment  and  Church  Periodicals.  After 
an  existence  of  fifteen  years,  during  which  time  several  works 
authorized  by  the  conference  were  published,  the  society  felt  the 
need  of  a  publishing  house  of  its  own.  On  Nov.  30,  1815,  John 
Dreisbach  went  to  Philadelphia  and  purchased  a  small  printing 
outfit,  which  he  presented  to  the  society.  The  entire  cost  of 
press,  etc.,  was  $375. 08.    The  following  Spring  he  purchased 


INSTITUTIONS. 


209 


additional  material  costing  ^65. 50.  In  January,  18 16,  he  went 
to  Philadelphia  in  a  sleigh  to  bring  some  of  the  material  to  New 
Berlin,  but  a  sudden  thaw  necessitated  another  mode  of  trans- 
portation. 

At  the  annual  conference  in  June  following,  a  Board  of  Pub- 
lication was  elected,  consisting  of  seven  members,  viz.:  John 
Dreisbach,  Henry  Niebel,  Solomon  Miller,  Adam  Ettinger, 
Daniel  Bertolet,  Philip  Breidenstein  and  Christopher 
Spangler.  To  them  was  entrusted  the  entire  business.  They 
were  required  to  render  a  report  annually  to  the  conference.  At 
the  first  General  Conference,  October,  1816,  Rev.  Solomon  Miller 
was  elected  the  first  book  agent,  with  Henry  Niebel  assistant. 
A  frame  building,  20x26  feet,  was  erected  by  the  side  of  the  first 
church,  then  also  in  course  of  erection  in  New  Berlin,  Pa. 

The  next  step  was  to  secure  a  competent  printer.  For  this 
purpose  John  Dreisbach  went  to  Harrisburg  to  consult  Chris- 
tian Gleim,  an  extensive  publisher,  who  recommended  a  young 
man  named  George  Miller,*  who  was  well  skilled  in  all  the 
branches  of  the  business,  and  was  also  a  member  of  the  Evangel- 
ical Association.  Miller  was  engaged  at  once,  and  removed  to 
New  Berlin.  As  soon  as  possible  the  work  of  printing  the  new 
hymn  book  and  Discipline  was  begun. 

In  the  first  years  of  the  establishment  the  Book  Committee 
had  but  few  meetings,  owing  to  the  absence  of  the  lay  members ; 
accordingly,  it  was  resolved  at  the  conference  of  1822  to  constitute 
the  committee  of  ministers  only.  This  committee  consisted  of 
John  Dreisbach,  general  book  agent ;  John  Erb,  John  Klein- 
felter,  Jacob  Kleinfelter,  J.  Dehoff,  D.  Wolf  and  John 
Seybert. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  first  quarter  of  the  century  a  season 
of  great  depression  set  in.  Business  in  general  was  prostrated 
and  money  was  scarce.  This  had  a  disastrous  effect  upon  the 
little  printing  establishment,  and  it  was  deemed  best  to  let  it  out 
to  George  Miller  ("the  printer")  at  a  yearly  rental  of  $60. 

♦Note. — George  Miller,  "the  printer,"  was  no  relative  of  the  preachers 
of  that  name  in  the  Association.  He  was  a  most  useful  man,  and  served  the 
Church  faithfully  for  many  years.  In  1818  he  married  Margaret  Zimmerman, 
the  youngest  daughter  of  Leonard  Zimmerman,  who  was  one  of  the  first  to 
receive  Albright  in  the  beginning  of  his  ministry.  Miller  died  Jan.  23,  1859, 
aged  sixty-four  years,  three  months  and  twenty-five  days.  His  wife  preceded 
him  March  10,  1845,  aged  fifty-five  years,  nine  months  and  twelve  days. 


210 


BVANOBLICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


At  the  conference  of  1827  it  was  resolved  to  sell  the  printing 
material  and  apply  the  proceeds  to  the  management  of  the  book 
trade.  John  Dreisbach,  James  Barber  and  Benj.  Ettinger 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  attend  to  this  matter.  At  the 
following  conference  Dreisbach  was  authorized  to  sell  the  estab- 
lishment. Returning  prosperity  and  the  rapid  increase  of  the 
society  awakened  a  general  desire  for  the  re-establishment  of  a 
printing  house  and  the  publication  of  a  periodical.  A  special 
General  Conference  was  convened  in  1836,  at  the  house  of  John 
Ferner,  in  Somerset  county,  Pa.,  to  take  practical  steps  in  this 
direction.  A  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Rev.  P. 
Wagoner,  Rev.  W.  W.  Orwig  and  John  Rank,  Esq.,  who  were 
authorized  to  purchase  or  build  a  suitable  printing  house  in  New 
Berlin.  Orwig  was  appointed  collector  for  the  enterprise,  and 
met  with  great  success.  The  committee  purchased  a  commodious 
brick  edifice  in  the  central  part  of  the  town,  at  a  cost  of  11,900. 
New  printing  materials  were  secured.  Miller  again  took  charge 
of  the  work,  while  the  committee  supervised  the  whole.  The 
enterprise  was  a  success  from  the  start,  book  after  book  was 
published,  and  all  met  with  a  ready  sale.  Among  the  first  works 
published  were,  "Das  Kernwesen  d(r  Erloesung  durch  Jesum 
Christum"  (Substance  of  Redemption  by  Jesus  Christ),  written 
by  Rev.  Samuel  Miller,  a  son  of  George  Miller;  Dow's 
' '  Chain  of  Reason;  "  "  Thomas  a'  Kempis  ;  "  Miller's  '  ^Practical 
Christianity;  "  Collier's  "Introduction  to  the  Study  of  the  Scrip- 
tures ;"  Fletcher's  "Appeal"  and  also  a  small  hand  Bible. 

In  the  middle  of  the  century  the  business  of  the  establishment 
had  so  increased,  while  the  facilities  for  shipment  from  New 
Berlin  were  so  poor,  that  a  change  of  location  was  felt  to  be  a 
necessity.  At  the  General  Conference  of  185 1  action  was  taken 
in  the  matter.  The  places  put  in  nomination  were  Cleveland, 
Pittsburg,  Harrisburg,  Philadelphia  and  New  Berlin.  Cleveland 
was  selected  by  a  majority  of  five  votes.  The  condition  of  re- 
moval was  that  the  cost  of  lot  and  buildings  should  not  exceed 
the  sum  of  $12,000,  three-fourths  of  which  should  be  raised  or 
subscribed  by  Jan.  i,  1853.  Success  attended  the  efforts  of  the 
agents,  and  in  1854  the  business  was  removed  to  the  newly  erected 
establishment  at  Cleveland,  O.,  where  it  has  remained.  The 
committee  to  whom  was  assigned  the  responsible  task  of  removal 
consisted  of  Bishop  Joseph  Long,  Henry  Fisher,  John  Dreis- 
bach, W.  W.  Orwig,  J.  G.  Zinzer  and  G.  F.  Spreng.    A  lot  on 


INSTITUTIONS. 


211 


Woodland  avenue  was  purchased  for  $4,360,  on  which  was  erected 
a  substantial  three  and  one-half-story  brick  edifice  at  a  cost  of 
almost  $8,000.  In  1874  the  building  had  became  too  small,  and 
an  additional  lot  was  purchased,  on  which  was  erected  an  edifice 
costing  over  $40,000.  To  this  was  added  another  building  ten 
years  later,  at  a  cost  of  $30,000.  The  whole  now  presents  a 
uniform  front,  four  stories  high,  on  Woodland  avenue  of  123  feet 
and  a  depth  of  100  feet. 

The  enormous  growth  of  the  establishment  may  be  inferred 
from  the  following  quadrennial  statement  of  assets  :  1867,  $84,' 
675;  1871,  $153,186;  1875,  $306,223;  1879,  $398,568;  1883, 
$461,201;  1887,  $498,483.  Besides  paying  off  the  remaining 
indebtedness  of  the  old,  the  new  establishment  was  able  to  pay 
to  the  Church  a  dividend  of  $500.  From  that  time  on  it  has  paid 
yearly  dividends  to  the  Church,  with  the  exception  of  the  years 
1839,  1842  and  1868.  amounts  ranging  from  $500,  the  lowest,  to 
$20,302,  the  highest  (1883).  The  total  dividends  to  annual  con- 
ferences from  1837  to  1887  aggregated  $240,024.36,  besides  a 
loan  in  1879  of  $10,000  to  the  branch  establishment  in  Germany. 

«Clirlstllche  Botschafter"  and  Evaueelical  Mes- 
senger." The  Christ liche  Botschafter  was  established  in  1836. 
Rev.  Adam  Ettinger  and  George  Miller  ("the  printer")were 
its  editors  and  publishers.  It  was  eight  pages,  Sj^xioJ^  inches 
in  size,  and  published  monthly,  at  seventy-five  cents  per  annum. 
The  list  of  subscribers  was  700,  which  was  increased  to  1,100  in 
less  than  a  year.  At  the  special  General  Conference  in  Novem- 
ber, 1836,  W.  W.  Orwig  was  elected  editor,  and  assumed  the  office 
in  April,  1837,  serving  also  in  the  capacity  of  book  agent.  He 
continued  in  this  two-fold  office  until  1839,  when  Chas.  Hammer 
was  elected  book  agent.  In  1840  the  Botschafter  was  consid- 
erably enlarged  and  appeared  bi-monthly,  and  the  price  was 
raised  to  $1.  Orwig  continued  as  editor  until  1843,  when  Adam 
Ettinger  succeeded  him.  In  the  Spring  of  1842  C.  Hammer 
resigned  the  office  of  book  agent  and  publisher,  and  T.  Buck  was 
elected  in  his  place  by  the  West  Pa.  Conference.  He  died  the 
following  October,  and  the  office  remained  vacant  until  the  fol- 
lowing General  Conference  (1843),  when  Adam  Ettinger  was 
elected  editor  and  J.  C.  Reisner  publisher.  At  the  General 
Conference  of  1847  N.Gehr,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  was  elected 
editor,  and  H.  Fisher,  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  publisher. 
The  same  conference  having  also  ordered  the  publication  of  the 


212  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Evangelical Messenger,G-£M.v.  also  served  as  editor  of  that  period- 
ical. The  Evangelical  Messenger  made  its  appearance  on  Jan. 
8,  1848,  at  $1  per  annum,  with  800  subscribers.  In  1849  Gehr 
resigned  his  office,  J.  G.  Zinzer  was  elected  in  his  stead,  and 
Henry  Fisher  was  chosen  editor  of  the  Messenger  in  addition  to 
his  office  as  agent,  Bersch  continuing  as  his  assistant.  Zinzer, 
however,  resigned  the  office  before  he  had  assumed  its  duties, 
whereupon  Fisher  issued  a  call  for  a  meeting  of  the  Book  Com- 
mittee June  21,  at  which  time  W.  W.  Orwig  was  again  elected. 
In  1850  the  Botschafter  was  again  enlarged.  Its  subscription 
list  had  increased  to  4,000.  The  General  Conference  of  185 1 
again  elected  W.  W.  Orwig  as  editor  of  the  Botschafter  and  chief 
book  steward,  with  J.  G.  Zinzer  as  assistant.  Zinzer,  however, 
resigned  the  office  in  the  course  of  about  a  year,  because  of  ill- 
health,  and  Bersch  again  served  in  his  stead  until  April,  1854. 
The  same  conference  also  re-elected  H.  Fisher  editor  of  the 
Evangelical  Messenger,  which  was  also  enlarged.  Fisher  served 
in  this  capacity  until  his  death,  Feb.  20,  1854.  In  1853  Orwig 
resigned  the  office  of  editor  of  the  Botschafter  and  book  agent, 
and  the  West  Pa.  Conference,  which  had  the  oversight  of  the 
establishment  in  the  interim  of  the  General  Conference,  elected 
Charles  Koch  editor,  and  M.  F.  Maize  publisher.  Maize, 
however,  resigned,  and  Orwig  continued  to  serve  as  agent  until 
the  session  of  the  West  Pa.  Conference  in  March,  1854,  when 
Charles  Hammer  was  elected  book  agent,  and  J.  L.W.  Sevbert 
editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger.  In  April  of  this  year  the 
periodicals  made  their  appearance  from  their  new  quarters  in 
Cleveland,  O.  In  September  Sevbert  resigned,  and  the  Board 
of  Publication  elected  John  Dreisbach  in  his  place.  At  the 
General  Conference  of  1855  Charles  Hammer  was  elected  book 
agent,  Charles  G.  Koch,  editor  of  the  Botschafter,  and  John 
Dreisbach,  editor  of  the  Messenger.  At  the  Ohio  Conference  in 
May,  1856,  Dreisbach  resigned  on  account  of  old  age  and  infir- 
mities, and  T.  G.  Clewell,  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  was 
elected  to  fill  the  vacancy.  At  the  General  Conference  of  1859 
Hammer,  Koch  and  Clewell  were  re-elected  to  their  respective 

Biographical  Note. — In  1837  William  Bersch,  a  well-educated  young 
Gennan,  was  converted  in  Philadelphia.  The  following  year  he  went  to  New 
Berlin  for  employment  at  the  book  establishment,  and  continued  in  the  work  until 
his  death  at  Cleveland,  O.,  Jan.  i2,  1882.  Bersch  was  a  remarkable  man,  and 
his  services  to  our  publishing  interests  were  invaluable.  He  always  considered 
his  connection  with  the  establishment  his  life-work  and  providential. 


INSTITUTIONS. 


213 


offices.  In  1861  both  periodicals  appeared  as  weeklies.  The 
General  Conference  of  1863  re-elected  Hammer  as  book  agent 
and  Clewell  as  editor  of  the  Messenger,  with  W.  W.  Orwig  as 
editor  of  the  Botschafter.  At  the  General  Conference  of  1867 
W.  W.  Orwig  was  elected  book  agent,  R.  Dubs,  of  the  Iowa 
Conference, editor  of  the  Botschafter,  and  Clewell  was  re-elected 
editor  of  the  Messenger.  The  Botschafter  was  again  enlarged  in 
1867  and  the  price  advanced  to  $2  per  annum.  In  1868  the 
Messenger  was  also  enlarged  and  the  price  advanced  to  $2.  In 
the  Spring  of  1870  Orwig  resigned  the  office  of  book  agent  and 
W.  F.  Schneider,  of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  was  elected  by 
the  Board  of  Publication  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In  January,  1871 
Clewell  resigned  the  editorship  of  the  Messenger  and  R.  Yeakel 
was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy.  The  General  Conference  of 
1872  re-elected  W.  F.  Schneider  as  publisher,  R.  Dubs,  editor 
of  the  Botschafter,  and  J.  Hartzler,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Confer- 
ence, editor  of  the  Messenger.  The  General  Conference  of  1875 
re-elected  Schneider  and  Hartzler  to  their  respective  offices, 
and  elected  M.  Lauer,  of  the  New  York  Conference,  editor  of 
the  Botschafter.  In  1879  Lauer  was  elected  publisher,*  W. 
Horn,  of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  editor  of  the  Botschafter, 
and  H.  B.  Hartzler,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  editor  of 
the  Messenger.  In  1883  the  foregoing  were  re-elected  to  their 
respective  offices,  with  the  addition  of  H.  Mattill,  of  the  Kansas 
Conference,  as  assistant  publisher.  In  1887  Lauer  and  Mattill 
were  re-elected  publishers,  W.  Horn,  editor  of  the  Botschafter, 
and  S.  P.  Spreng,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  editor  of  the  Mes- 
senger. The  Christliche  Botschafter  has  the  distinction  of  being 
the  most  extensively  circulated,  and  perhaps  the  oldest,  German 
church  paper  in  America.  In  1887  its  circulation  was  23,500. 
The  Evangelical  Messenger  ranks  also  as  a  great  religious  jour- 
nal. In  1884  it  was  changed  to  book  form  of  sixteen  pages.  Its 
circulation  in  1887  was  13,000. 

The  Board  of  Publication  was  established  by  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1859,  to  consist  of  seven  members,  and  to  be  legally 
incorporated,  and  the  members  to  be  elected  every  four  years  by 
the  General  Conference.  The  first  board,  which  was  elected  at 
this  conference,  consisted  of  Bishop  J.  Long,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  A.  B. 
Shaefer,  J.  J.  EsHER,  S.  Neitz,  M.  Lauer  and  A.  Niebel. 

*W.  F.  Schneider,  publisher,  died  Aug.  22,  1879,  Orwir  was 

appointed  to  the  vacancy  until  General  Conference. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS, 


PART  II. 

An  Outline  History  of  the  Association,  Including  a 
Summary  of  the  Transactions  of  the  Annual  and  Gen- 
eral Conferences,  From  Its  Organization  to  the  Year 
1887  Inclusive.  Arranged  in  Chronological  Order.  Also 
A  Biographical  Department. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Annals  of  the  Evangelical  Association  from  Its  Origin 
TO  THE  Year  1839. 

Prefatory  Remarks.  It  has  been  deemed  best  to  give  the 
official  records  of  the  Association  from  its  origin  to  1839  as  a 
distinct  period.  The  reasons  for  this  appear  obvious  upon  con- 
sideration. This  period  was  practically  the  old  dispensation  of 
the  society :  old  notions,  customs  and  methods  largely  prevailed. 

The  annual  and  General  Conferences  were  often  held  jointly, 
and  the  latter  conference  had  as  yet  no  constitutional  limitations 
of  authority  and  power.  All  elders  could  attend,  as  members, 
the  highest  body  of  the  Church. 

The  Church  had  no  bishop  during  this  period.  Although  the 
Discipline  provided  for  his  election,  and  defined  his  functions, 
yet  the  Church  hesitated  to  invest  an  incumbent  with  what  little 
power  was  left  to  such  a  dignitary  after  repeated  curtailments 
covering  a  lapse  of  over  a  quarter  of  a  century. 

It  is  true,  there  were  two  conferences  from  the  year  1826,  but 
the  Western  was  only  a  nursling  under  the  watchful  eye  of  the 
mother  conference  until  the  close  of  this  period.  Her  acts  were 
subject  to  correction  and  revocation,  and  her  records  were  an- 
nually spread  upon  the  journal  of  the  Eastern  Conference  until 
1836.  The  Western  Conference  depended  on  the  Eastern  for 
men  to  carry  on  the  work  among  them,  and  new  men  were  sent 
from  year  to  year  to  replace  the  many  who  availed  themselves  of 
the  superior  advantages  offered  in  the  West  to  procure  homes  and 
those  who  could  no  longer  endure  the  hardships  of  pioneer  work. 

For  many  years  the  West  was  also  in  a  great  measure  depend- 
ent on  the  East  for  financial  support.  The  emigrants  to  the  West 
were  poor  and  unable  to  do  much  toward  the  support  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, and  the  Eastern  brethren  continued  to  share  their 


218  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


scanty  stipends  equally  with  the  Western,  until  the  close  of  this 
period.  Gladly  did  they  make  this  sacrifice  in  the  spirit  and  for 
the  sake  of  Christ,  for  the  advancement  of  whose  cause  they  were 
willing  with  the  Apostle  Paul,  to  "suffer  the  loss  of  all  things." 

FIRST  PERIOD— 1800-1839. 

Jacob  Albright,  the  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Association, 
was  born  near  Pottstown,  Pa.,  May  i,  1759.  united  in 

marriage  with  Catharine  Cope  in  1785,  and  soon  thereafter  re- 
moved to  Lancaster  county.  Pa.  He  was  converted  in  1792  and 
started  on  his  first  tour,  as  an  independent  evangelist,  in  October, 
1796.  Souls  were  converted  through  his  instrumentality  in  vari- 
ous places,  and  in  course  of  time  he  found  it  necessary  to  or- 
ganize them  into  classes. 

1800.  Firstclasses  organized:  Walter's  class,  near  Quak- 
ertown,  Bucks  county ;  Liesser's,  near  Colebrookdale,  Berks 
county,  and  Phillip's,  in  Hamilton  township,  Northampton 
county. 

1802.  Albright  holds  his  first  general  meeting  in  June,  at 
Samuel  Liesser's;  his  second  at  John  Thomas',  in  Miffiin 
county,  in  August,  and  his  third  a  few  weeks  later,  at  Jacob 
Phillip's,  in  Northampton  county.  The  brothers  George  and 
Solomon  Miller  are  converted.  John  Walter  enters  the  min- 
istry as  Albright's  first  assistant.    Membership  about  twenty. 

1803.  Abraham  Liesser  enters  the  ministry.  Fourth  class 
formed,  in  Schuylkill  county,  George  Miller,  leader.  Gen- 
eral meeting  at  Solomon  Miller's,  on  Easter  day.  First  council 
held,  in  November,  attended  by  Albight,  his  two  assistants, 
and  fourteen  laymen,  who  declare  Albright  to  be  a  true  Evan- 
gelical minister  and  ordain  him  as  such.    Membership,  forty. 

1804.  Second  circuit  (Northumberland)  formed.  Alex. 
Jameson  enters  the  ministry.    Membership,  sixty. 

1805.  George  Miller  enters  the  ministry.  Abraham 
Liesser  dies.  General  spread  of  the  work.  Societies  formed 
on  the  Muehlbach,  at  Jonestown,  Lebanon  county,  and  at  Han- 
over, Dauphin  county.  Membership,  seventy-five.  Remark- 
able meeting  at  New  Berlin,  and  establishment  of  the  work  there. 

1806.  A  year  of  great  success.  Among  the  most  impor- 
tant steps  taken  is  the  establishment  of  the  office  of  local  preacher. 
Charles  Bissv,  Jacob  Phillips,  Solomon  Miller  and  John 
Dreisbach  are  granted  license  as  such.    It  is  also  determined  to 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


219 


hold  regular  annual  conferences  hereafter.  A  collection  is  intro- 
duced, called  the  subsidiary  collection,  a  sort  of  contingent  fund 
applied  to  such  purposes,  as  making  up  deficiency  in  salary  and 
aiding  the  poor  of  the  Church.  Extensive  revivals  in  both  cir- 
cuits. Classes  formed  on  the  "new"  circuit  as  follows:  New 
Berlin,  Union  county,  Michael  Maize,  leader;  Thomas'  settle- 
ment, Mifflin  county,  Fred.  Harpster,  leader;  Millheim,  Centre 
county  ;  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  county,  Martin  Dreisbach, 
leader ;  Brush  Valley,  Centre  county,  Christian  Spangler, 
leader  ;  Lewisburg,  Union  county.  Christian  Wolf,  leader.  The 
work  also  successful  in  Morrison's  Cove.    Membership,  120. 

1807.  The  first  annual  conference  was  held  Nov.  1 5,  in  the 
house  of  Samuel  Becker,  on  the  Muehlbach,  near  Kleinfelters- 
ville.  Pa.  There  were  present  five  itinerant  and  three  local 
preachers,  and  twenty  class-leaders  and  exhorters.  The  society 
is  named  "The  Newly  Formed  Methodist  Conference."  Al- 
bright is  elected  bishop  and  George  Miller  elder.  John 
Dreisbach  and  Jacob  Frey  were  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
Albright  was  directed  to  formulate  Articles  of  !Faith  and  a  Dis- 
cipline for  the  society.    Membership,  220. 

Appointments:  Lancaster  and  Schuylkill  Circuit,  George  Mil- 
ler and  John  Dreisbach;  Northumberland,  John  Walter  and  Jacob 
Frey.    Jacob  Albright,  general  overseer. 

1808.  There  was  no  conference  held  this  year.  At  a  gen- 
eral meeting  on  Easter  day,  at  the  house  of  John  Brobst,  in 
Albany  township,  Berks  county,  Albright  stationed  his  preach- 
ers for  the  last  time  as  follows  : 

Lancaster  and  Schuylkill  Circuit,  John  Walter  and  Jacob 
Frey ;  Northumberland,  George  Miller,  and  John  Dreisbach. 

Jacob  Albright  dies  May  1 8,  at  the  house  of  George  Becker, 
on  the  Muehlbach,  where  he  was  also  buried.  M.  Betz  of  Mill- 
heim and  John  Erb  entered  the  itinerancy  in  Autumn.  The  lat- 
ter, who  was  associated  with  John  Walter  on  the  old  circuit, 
took  the  place  of  Jacob  Frey,  who  was  sent  to  York  county  to 
establish  the  work,  but  afterwards  withdrew  from  the  ministry. 
Henry  Niebel,  of  New  Berlin,  began  to  preach  in  the  Winter. 
The  society  suffered  unusual  persecution. 

1809.  The  second  annual  conference  was  held  in  April,  at 
the  house  of  Rev.  George  Miller,  Albany  township,  Berks 
county.  Itinerants  present  were  George  Miller,  chairman, 
John  Walter,  John  Dreisbach,  secretary,  John  Erb,  M.  Betz 


220  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


and  Henry  Niebel.  Miller  was  instructed  to  write  Articles  of 
Faith  and  Discipline  in  place  of  Albright,  deceased.  The  Dis- 
cipline was  published  this  year.  J.  Dreisbach  was  instructed 
to  publish  a  Catechism.  This  conference  named  the  society 
"The  So-called  Albrights."  George  Miller  was  instructed 
to  write  and  preach  as  his  health  would  permit. 

Appointments:  Lancaster  and  Schuylkill  Curcuit,  J.  Dreis- 
bach, M.  Betz  and  H.  Niebel  ;  Northumberland,  J.  Walter  and 
John  Erb. 

George  Miller,  John  Walter  and  John  Dreisbach  were 
ordained  elders  at  a  general  meeting  held  at  the  house  of  Henry 
Eby,  near  Lebanon,  soon  after  the  conference.  Glorious  revivals 
took  place  during  the  year  and  five  new  classes  were  formed. 
John  Seybert,  afterwards  bishop,  was  converted  near  Manheim. 
Jacob  Phillips,  local  preacher,  died.  (For  statistics  of  this  and 
subsequent  conferences  see  statistical  tables.) 

1810.  Third  conference,  April  i8-2o,atthehouseof  George 
Becker,  on  the  Muehlbach.  George  Miller,  president  ;  J. 
Dreisbach,  secretary.  Michael  Becker  and  David  Yerlitz 
were  newly  received ;  John  Erb  and  M.  Betz  were  ordained 
deacons.  A  new  circuit  called  Franklin  was  formed  extending 
into  York,  Adams,  Cumberland  and  Franklin  counties,  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  Carroll  and  Washington  counties,  in  Maryland. 
George  Miller  was  directed  to  write  and  preach  as  his  strength 
would  permit.  John  Walter  published  a  hymn  book  by  per- 
mission of  conference. 

Appointments  :  Schuylkill  and  Lancaster  Circuit,  J.Walter, 
H.  Niebel  and  M.  Becker;  Northumberland,  John  Dreisbach 
and  David  Yerlitz  j  Franklin,  J.  Erb,  and  M.  Betz. 

The  work  made  very  rapid  progress  and  fourteen  new  classes 
were  formed.  Camp-meetings  were  introduced,  the  first  being 
held  on  land  of  Michael  Maize,  near  New  Berlin,  in  June,  and 
the  second  on  land  of  Rev.  George  Miller,  in  Albany  town- 
ship, Berks  county,  in  October. 

1811.  Fourth  conference,  April  9,  10,  on  the  Muehlbach, 
George  Miller,  president;  John  Dreisbach,  secretary.  Leon- 
ard Zimmerman  was  received  on  trial  and  Henry  Niebel  was 
ordained  deacon.  The  conference  recommended  catechetical 
instruction,  and  the  preachers  were  directed  to  organize  cate- 
chetical classes  on  their  circuits. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


221 


Appointments:  Schuylkill  and  Lancaster  Circuit,  J.  Walter, 
M.  Betz  and  D.  Yerlitz  ;  Northumberland,  J.  Erb  and  L.  Zim- 
merman; Franklin,  J.  Dreisbach,  H.  Niebel  and  M.  Becker. 

Great  revivals  took  place  near  Shrewsbury  and  Conewago,  in 
York  county,  and  near  Shippensburg.  Miller's  "Practical 
Christianity"  was  published. 

1812.  Fifth  conference,  April  2,  3,  at  Martin  Dreisbach's 
Buffalo  Valley.  George  Miller,  president;  J.  Dreisbach, 
secretary.  Fred.  Shower,  Abraham  Huth,  Michael  Diebler, 
Robert  McCray  and  John  Buchwalter  were  received  into  the 
ministry.  John  Erb  was  ordained  elder.  Several  circuits  were 
divided  and  a  mission  was  established  in  Central  New  York. 
(This  mission  failed,  however,  during  the  year  and  was  not  re- 
established until  1816.) 

Appointments.-  Schuylkill  Circuit,  H.  Niebel  and  Abraham 
Huth ;  Lancaster,  J.  Erb  and  Michael  Diebler ;  Franklin,  John 
Walter  and  D.  Yerlitz;  York,  M.  Betz  and  M.  Becker;  New 
York,  J.  Dreisbach  and  Robert  McCray ;  Northumberland,  L. 
Zimmerman,  J.  Buchwalter  and  F.  Shower. 

1813.  Sixth  session,  April  21-23,  at  Martin  Dreisbach's. 
George  Miller,  president;  J.  Dreisbach,  secretary.  George 
Miller  and  J.  Erb  located.  Henry  Niebel  and  M.  Betz  were 
ordained  elders  and  D.  Yerlitz  and  L.  Zimmerman  deacons. 
Received  on  trial,  Abraham  Buchman,  John  Kleinfelter,  Jacob 
Kleinfelter,  John  Walter,  Jr.,  John  Stambach  and  Adam 
Kendig. 

Appointments  :  SchuylkilU  Circuit,  J.  Walter,  Jacob  Klein- 
felter and  John  Walter,  Jr.;  Northumberland,  M.  Betz,  Robert 
McCray,  A.  Buchman  and  John  Stambach;  Franklin,  H.  Niebel 
and  M.  Diebler;  York,  L.  Zimmerman  and  Fred.  Shower.  To 
seek  new  territory,  J.  Dreisbach  and  A.  Hennig,  D.  Yerlitz  and 
John  Kleinfelter. 

The  work  greatly  advanced.  Yerlitz  and  Kleinfelter 
found  open  doors  in  Bedford  and  Huntingdon  counties,  while 
Dreisbach  and  Hennig  met  with  equal  success  in  Somerset  and 
adjoining  counties,  and  organized  a  number  of  classes.  M.  Betz 
died  and  John  Walter,  Albright's  first  assistant,  broke  down 
completely. 

1814.  Seventh  session,  April  13-15, atMARTiN  Dreisbach's. 
John  Dreisbach,  president;  Henry  Niebel,  secretary.  Thomas 
Bruer,  Michael  Walter  and  Henry  Stauffer  were  newly 


222  BVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


received.  F.  Shower,  A.  Hennig  and  Abraham  Buchman  were 
ordained  deacons.  J.  Dreisbach  was  elected  presiding  elder 
(the  first  in  this  office)  for  four  years. 

Appointments  :  J.  Dreisbach,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit, H.  Niebel  and  John  Kleinfelter;  Bedford,  D.  Yerlitz  and 
Michael  Walter ;  York,  J.  Stambach  and  T.  Bruer;  Somerset, 
Abraham  Buchman  and  Jacob  Kleinfelter ;  Lancaster,  L.  Zim- 
merman and  H.  Stauffer;  Franklin,  F.  Shower;  Schuylkill,  .\dam 
Hennig. 

This  was  a  successful  year.  Four  camp-meetings,  fourteen 
general  meetings,  and  eight  watch-night  meetings  were  held. 

1815.  Eighth  session,  April  4-6,  at  Jacob  Kleinfelter's,* 
near  Shrewsbury.  Henry  Niebel,  president;  John  Kleinfelter, 
secretary.  D.  Yerlitz  located ;  John  and  Jacob  Kleinfelter 
and  Thomas  Bruer  were  ordained  deacons ;  David  Thomas, 
John  Dehoff  and  James  Bruer  were  newly  received  ;  Henry 
Niebel  was  elected  the  second  presiding  elder.  Highest  salary 
received,  $89.67.  The  time  of  holding  the  conference  session 
was  changed  from  April  to  June. 

Appointments:  I.  Canaan  District,  John  Dreisbach,  presid- 
ing elder.  Franklin  Circuit,  Thomas  Bruer  and  J.  Dehoff ;  York, 
Abraham  Buchman  and  David  Thomas;  Lancaster,  John  Klein- 
felter and  James  Bruer ;  Schuylkill,  L.  Zimmerman. 

II.  Salem  District,  Henry  Niebel,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  John  Stambach  and  Jacob  Kleinfelter;  Centre,  Fred. 
Shower  and  Henry  Stauffer;  Somerset,  Adam  Hennig  and  Michael 
Walter. 

This  was  a  year  of  general  success.  Six  camp-meetings  were 
held.  John  Dreisbach  visited  Philadelphia,  and  preached,  May 
7,  in  Masonic  Hall,  near  Poplar  and  N.  Second  Streets,  and  in 
the  house  of  George  Fisher.  On  a  second  visit  he  preached  in 
Commissioners'  Hall.  During  this  visit  he  purchased  a  printing 
press  and  outfit  at  his  own  expense,  for  the  use  of  the  society  at 
New  Berlin. 

1816.  Ninth  session,  June  11-13,  Abraham  EYER's,t  in 
Dry  Valley.  John  Dreisbach,  president ;  Henry  Niebel,  sec- 
retary. The  newly  received  into  the  ministry  were  John  Frueh, 
Philip  Smith,  Moses  Dehoff,  Adam  and  Benjamin  Ettinger, 

*  Father  of  Revs.  John  and  Jacob  Kleinfelter. 

+  Note. — This  imptortant  session  was  held  in  Ever's  barn,  which  is  still 
standing  (1896). 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


228 


John  Shilling,  John  Rickel,  Fred.  Kaltreiter  and  Andrew 
Wolf.  D.  Thomas,  M.  Walter,  John  DEHOFFand  S.  Miller 
were  ordained  deacons,  and  Fred.  Shower  and  L.  Zimmerman 
elders.  Abraham  Buchman,  Thomas  Bruer  and  H.  Stauffer 
located.  This  was  the  most  important  session  yet  held,  as  the 
following  transactions  will  show:  Two  mission  fields  were  estab- 
lished in  Ohio.  Local  preachers  shall  hereafter  be  entitled  to 
deacon's  orders,  after  trial  of  six  years,  and  recommendation  of 
twelve  itinerants.  J.  Dreisbach  and  H.  Niebel  shall  have 
preachers  licenses  printed,  and  shall  make  a  proper  collection  of 
hymns,  and  also  improve  the  Discipline.  A  General  Conference 
shall  be  held.  A  committee  of  seven  was  elected  to  superintend 
the  new  printing  ofifice  established  by  J.  Dreisbach,  as  follows: 
J.  Dreisbach,  H.  Niebel,  S.  Miller,  A.  Ettinger,  D.  Bertolet, 
J.  Breitenstein  and  Christian  Spangler.  Twelve  delegates 
were  elected  for  the  coming  General  Conference.  Ministers  shall 
hereafter  receive  1 5  6  salary  and  expenses,  if  the  state  of  the  treas- 
ury will  allow  it. 

Appointments  :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Dreisbach,  presiding 
elder.  Franklin  Circuit,  J.  Bruer  and  F.  Kaltreiter ;  York,  L. 
Zimmerman  and  A.  Ettinger  ;  Lancaster,  David  Thomas;  Schuyl- 
kill, J.  Frueh  and  B.  Ettinger;  Lake  Mission  (Seneca  county, 
N.  Y.),  Jacob  Kleinfelter. 

IL  Salem  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit, John  Kleinfelter  and  M.  Dehoff ;  Bedford,  John  Dehoff  and 
J.  Shilling;  Somerset,  M.  Walter  and  J.  Rickel;  Columbia,  P. 
Schmidt;  Centre,  J.  Stambach ;  Canton  Mission  (O.),  Adam 
Hennig;  Scioto  Mission  (O.),  Fred  Shower. 

April  5  Rev.  George  Miller,  co-laborer  with  Albright,  died 
at  New  Berlin,  Union  county.  April  27  Conrad  Philips  and 
John  Walter,  trustees,  purchased  a  lot  at  New  Berlin,  fc  the 
use  of  the  society  as  a  burial  place. 


CHAPTER  II. 


First  General  Conference,  Held  at  the  House  of  Mar- 
TIN  Dreisbach,  in  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  County,  Pa., 
Oct.  14-17,  i8i6. 

1816.  The  first  General  Conference  of  the  society  was  held 
at  the  house  of  Martin  Dreisbach,  in  Buffalo  Valley,  Union 
county,  Pa.,  Oct.  14-17.  J.  Dreisbach,  president;  H.  Niebel, 
secretary.  The  following  important  business  was  transacted  : 
Solomon  Miller  was  elected  general  book  agent  and  publisher 
for  the  newly-established  printing  office  at  New  Berlin,  and  H. 
Niebel  assistant.  The  propriety  of  effecting  an  organic  union 
with  the  United  Brethren  in  Christwas  discussed.  Bishop  Chris- 
tian Newcomer  and  several  others  of  the  latter  denomination 
being  present  and  joining  in  the  discussion.  A  committee  was 
appointed  to  meet  a  similar  committee  of  the  United  Brethren 
to  consummate  the  union  if  practicable.  The  new  hymn  book, 
Das  Geistliche  Saitenspiel,  prepared  by  J.  Dreisbach  and  Henry 
Niebel,  was  approved,  and  the  publication  of  1,500  copies  was 
ordered.  This  was  the  first  hymn  book  of  the  society.  The 
same  brethren  also  submitted  the  Articles  of  Faith  and  Discipline, 
also  approved,  and  ordered  1,500  copies  to  be  printed.  The 
publication  of  these  books,  however,  was  deferred,  pending  the 
action  of  the  Joint  Committee  on  Church  union.  The  yearly 
salary  of  an  itinerant  was  raised  from  $56,  as  fixed  by  the  last 
annual  conference,  to  $60.  The  name  of  the  society  was  changed 
from  "The  So-called  Albrights"  to  "The  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation. " 

Delegates  :  J.  Dreisbach,  H.  Niebel,  John  Walter,  L. 
Zimmerman,  J.  Erb,  J.  Stambach,  J.  Kleinfelter,  S.  Miller, 
J.  Dehoff,  D.  Thomas,  A.  Ettinger  and  J.  Frueh. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


225 


The  Social  Cottfereuce.  The  Joint  Committee  to  effect 
the  proposed  union  of  the  Evangelical  Association  and  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ  met  at  the  house  of  Henry  Kummler,  in 
Antrim  township,  Franklin  county,  Pa.,  Feb.  14,  1817.  The 
committees  representing  the  Association  consisted  of  J.  Dries- 
bach,  H.  NiEBEL,  S.  Miller,  J.  Kleinfelter,  D.  Thomas  and 
A.  Ettinger.  On  behalf  of  the  United  Brethren  there  were 
present :  Bishop  Christian  Newcomer,  Joseph  Hoffman,  J. 
Paulus,  a  Meyer,  C.  Berger  and  C.  Roth. 

The  difficulties  in  the  way  of  consummating  this  union  were 
greater  than  had  been  anticipated.  Some  of  these  difficulties,  as 
gathered  from  the  histories  of  both  denominations,  were  :  A  suit- 
able name  for  the  proposed  new  organization ;  the  rights  of  local 
preachers  ;  the  itinerancy  ;  Discipline  and  Church  government. 
The  chief  difficulty  seems  to  have  been  the  following,  as  given 
by  Rev.  J.  Dreisbach  :*  "It  was  then  understood  and  agreed 
upon  that  there  should  be  six  delegates  of  each  of  the  two  denom- 
inations, and  that  these  delegates  should  be  authorized  by  both 
sides  to  negotiate  a  union,  as  we  had  postponed  the  new  edition 
of  our  Discipline  till  after  our  conference.  But  when  we  met  at 
Bro.  H.  Kummler's  it  was  soon  announced  by  the  Brethren  that 
they  had  no  such  authority  to  make  a  final  decision  on  the  subject 
of  the  contemplated  union.  This  was  to  us  very  repulsive,  indeed, 
and  the  result  of  this  conference  has  been  stated."  The  result 
of  the  conference  was  the  abandonment  of  the  project. 

Church  and  Printing  Establishment.  The  first  church 
edifice  of  the  Association  was  erected  at  New  Berlin  this  year, 
and  dedicated  March  2,  1817,  by  Rev.  J.  Dreisbach.  Text, 
Psalm  xxvii.  4.  The  printing  house  was  erected  by  the  side  of 
the  church  (1816)  and  taken  charge  of  by  Rev.  Solomon  Mil- 
ler, the  agent.  This  establishment  never  flourished,  and  in  1828 
the  conference  directed  John  Dreisbach  to  sell  at  his  own 
discretion.  The  printing  for  the  society  thereafter  was  done  by 
George  Miller  ("the  printer"),  who  had  been  connected  with 
the  establishment  from  the  beginning. 

1817.  The  tenth  conference  was  held  in  the  new  church  at 
New  Berlin  June  2-7.  H.  Niebel,  president;  J.  Kleinfelter, 
secretary.  The  following  members  located :  D.  Thomas,  A. 
Hennig  and  P.  Smith.    James  Barber,  Adam  Kleinfelter, 

♦Correction  of  Rev.  H.  G.  Spavth,  historian  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
in  Evangelical  Messenger,  1855,  page  68, 


226  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Samuel  Muck,  Henry  Weiand,  and  B.  Boeshore  were  newly 
received.  James  Bruer  and  Adam  Ettinger  were  ordained 
deacons,  and  John  and  Jacob  Kleinfelteh  and  J.  Stambach, 
elders.  One  itinerant  and  one  local  preacher  were  expelled  from 
the  Church  for  misconduct,  and  three  were  deposed  from  the 
ministry  for  neglect  of  duty.  In  addition  to  the  Book  Commis- 
sion previously  elected,  the  following  were  elected  as  agents  of 
the  commission,  to  whom  books  were  sent  to  be  disposed  of : 
York  Circuit,  Joseph  Kleinfelter  ;  Franklin,  J.  Erb  ;  Berkley 
(Va.),  Jacob  Kerber;  Columbia,  Peter  Reidv;  Lake  (N.Y. ), 
Christian  Wolf;  Somerset,  N.  Neith;  Canton  (O.  ),  A.  Hennig. 

Appointments  :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Driesbach,  presiding 
elder.  York  Circuit,  John  Kleinfelter  and  B.  Boeshore  ;  Lancas- 
ter, A.  Ettinger  and  J.  Barber;  Schuylkill,  J.  Frueh  and  S.  Muck; 
Franklin,  M.  Walter;  Berkley  (Va.),  J-  Bruer;  Lake  (N.  Y.), 
J.  Schilling. 

IL  Salem  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit, B.  Ettinger  and  F.  Kaltreiter;  Somerset,  J.  Stambach  and 
H.  Weiand  ;  Columbia,  L.  Zimmerman ;  Centre,  M.  Dehoff ; 
Bedford,  J.  Rickle ;  Lancaster,  John  and  Adam  Kleinfelter ; 
Canton,  John  Dehoff. 

1818.  Eleventh  conference  at  New  Berlin,  June  1-5.  J. 
Dreisbach,  president ;  H.  Niebel,  secretary.  J.  Frueh,  J. 
Bruer,  A.  Ettinger,  and  H.  Weiand  located.  Samuel  Witt, 
Henry  Hassler,  John  Peters  and  John  Breidenstein  were 
newly  received.  Ordained  Deacons — J.  Rickel,  J.  Frueh,  M. 
Dehoff,  B.  Ettinger,  F.  Kaltreiter,  J.  Schilling  and  James 
Barber.  Dreisbach  and  Niebel  were  re-elected  presiding  elders. 
Columbia  Circuit  was  consolidated  with  Union.  The  following 
rules  were  enacted:  (i)  That  every  preacher  be  forbidden  to 
wear  gloves  during  Summer,  or  to  use  any  of  the  following  articles 
at  any  time  of  the  year,  viz. :  Silver-plated  stirrups  and  bridle- 
bits,  loaded  whips  and  large  watch  keys.  (2)  That  it  shall  be 
considered  a  transgression  for  anyone  of  our  minister  to  receive 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  into  our  connection 
without  the  consent  of  the  preacher  having  charge  over  them, 
except  in  cases  where  they  move  from  the  bounds  of  their  Church 
into  those  of  the  Association,  or  have  been  regularly  dismissed 
by  their  Church. 

Appointments  :  L  Canaan  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding 
elder.    Schuylkill  Circuit,  M.  Dehoff  and  A.  Kleinfelter  ;  Lan- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


927 


caster,  J.  Shilling  and  B.  Boeshore  ;  York,  John  Kleinfelter  and 
John  Breidcnstein;  Franklin,  H.  Hassler;  Berkley  (Va. ),  Jacob 
Kleinfelter;  Lake  (N.  Y.),  F.  Kaltrciter. 

II.  Salem  District,  J.  Dreisbach,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit.  J.  Stambach  and  John  Dehoff ;  Centre,  L.  Zimmerman 
and  J.  Peters ;  Somerset,  J.  Barber  and  S.  Witt ;  Bedford,  S. 
Rickel ;  Canton  (O.),  M.  Walter;  Lancaster,  B.  Ettinger  and 
S.  Muck. 

John  Walter,  Albright's  first  assistant,  died  Dec.  3,  aged 
thirty-seven  years.  John  Dreisbach,  presiding  elder,  visited 
the  work  in  Ohio  this  year. 

1819.  The  twelfth  conference  was  heldiin  New  Berlin,  June 
7-1 1.  J.  Dreisbach,  president;  H.  Neibel,  secretary.  Jacob 
Peters,  David  Wolf  and  Jacob  Baumgardner  were  newly  re- 
ceived. Adam  Kleinfelter,  Samuel  Muck  and  Jacob  Frey 
were  ordained  deacons.  Henry  Niebel  and  J.  Rickel  located. 
Dreisbach  was  presiding  elder  of  both  districts. 

The  following  statistics  of  the  various  fields  of  labor  are  here 
subjoined,  that  the  reader  may  judge  for  himself  as  to  the  con- 
dition and  strength  of  the  various  charges  :  Pennsylvania — Union 
Circuit,  239  ;  Centre,  304;  Lancaster,  277  ;  York,  194  ;  Somer- 
set, 204;  Bedford,  43;  Franklin  (partly in  Maryland),  93;  Schuyl- 
kill, 93.  Virginia — Canton  Circuit,  160.  New  York — Lake 
Circuit,  59.  Ohio — Canton  Circuit,  139  ;  Lancaster,  90.  Total 
membership,  1,895. 

Appointments  :  John  Dreisbach,  presiding  elder.  Schuylkill 
Circuit,  J.  Schilling  and  J.  Baumgardner ;  Lancaster,  L.  Zim- 
merman and  S.  Mack  ;  York,  M.  Walter  and  M.  Dehofi ;  Frank- 
lin, J.  Frueh  ;  Berkley  (Va.),  B.  Ettinger;  Lake  (N.  Y.),  John 
Kleinfelter ;  Union,  H.  Hassler  and  J.  Breitenstein ;  Centre,  J. 
Stambach  and  J.  Peters  ;  Bedford,  S.  Witt ;  Somerset,  A.  Klein- 
felter and  John  Peters;  Canton  (O.),  Jacob  Kleintclter  and 
Jacob  Frey;  Lancaster  (0.)>  !•  Barber  and  D.  Wolf. 


CHAPTER  III. 


Second  General  Conference,  in  Connection  with  the  Thir- 
teenth Annual  Conference,  at  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  June 
5-9,  1820. 

1820.  Thirteenth  annual  and  second  General  Conference 
convened  in  New  Berlin,  June  5-9.  John  Dreisbach,  president; 
Henry  Niebel,  secretary.  Located — J.  Stambach,  J.  Peters, 
S.  Witt  and  Jacob  Frey.  Newly  received — Daniel  Middle- 
KAUFFand  George  Lantz.  Became  effective — J.  Erb,  J.  Rickel 
and  J.  Dehoff.  Ordained  deacons — H.  Hassler,  D.  Wolf, 
John  Breitenstein  and  George  Lantz.  Elders — M.  Walter, 
J.  Barber,  M.  Dehoff,  J.  Frueh,  B.  Ettinger  and  J.  Schil- 
ling. J.  Erb  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Rev.  S.  Miller,  the 
general  book  agent,  having  died  during  the  preceding  year,  J. 
Dreisbach  was  elected  in  his  stead.  J.  Dreisbach  H.  Niebel 
and  J.  Stambach  were  constituted  a  standing  book  committee. 
J.  Dreisbach  and  Daniel  Bertolet  having  written  and  trans- 
lated a  collection  of  hymns,  they  were  ordered  to  be  published, 
besides  such  other  works  as  were  of  a  profitable  character. 

"As  this  was  the  fourth  year  since  the  session  of  the  first 
General  Conference,  therefore  the  annual  and  General  Confer- 
ences were  held  simultaneously,  although  but  few  items  of  a 
General  Conference  nature  were  transacted,  and  these  had  ref- 
erence chiefly  to  the  book  and  printing  affairs  of  the  society. 
Hence  no  delegates  had  been  chosen,  as  was  the  case  at  the  first 
General  Conference  ;  But  all  members  of  the  annual  conference, 
who  had  a  right,  to  vote,  had  a  voice  in  the  proceedings.  From 
this  time  henceforth,  until  the  introduction  of  the  regular  dele- 
gate system  at  the  General  Conference  of  1839,  every  minister 
in  the  office  of  elder  had  a  right  to  attend  General  Conference, 
and  was  entitled  to  a  vote."    (Orwig,  page  102.) 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


229 


Appointment!? :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Erb,  presiding  elder. 
Schuylkill  Circuit,  B.  Ettinger  and  Jacob  Peters ;  Lancaster,  John 
Kleinfelter  and  D.  Wolf  ;  York,  J.  Barber  and  J.  Dehoff ;  Frank- 
lin, L.  Zimmerman  ;  Berkley,  J.  Frueh ;  Lake,  S.  Muck. 

II.  Salem  District,  J.  Dreisbach,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  A.  Kleinfelter  and  G.  Lantz  ;  Centre,  J.  Schilling  and 
J.  Baumgardner ;  Bedford,  J.  Rickel ;  Somerset,  M.  Walter  and 
M.  Dehoff;  Canton  (O.),  Henry  Hassler  and  D.  Middlekauff ; 
Lancaster  (O. ),  Jacob  Kleinfelter,  J.  Breidenstein. 

1821.  Fourteenth  conference.  New  Berlin,  June  4-9.  John 
Erb,  president ;  Jacob  Kleinfelter,  secretary.  The  following 
located — J.  Dreisbach,  J.  Rickel,  J.  Frueh,  S.  Muck,  G.  Lantz, 
J.  Schilling  and  L.  Zimmerman.  Newly  received — John  Sey- 
bert,  John  Vandersal,  Fred.  Glasser,  John  Stoll,  Jacob 
BiXLER  and  John  Eisenberger.  Ordained  deacons — J.  Baum- 
gardner,  Christian  Wolf  and  J.  Vandersal.  Elders — A. 
Kleinfelter  and  J.  Dehoff.  Membership,  1,974  ;  decrease  of 
eighteen.  Salary  of  each  itinerant,  $26.66,  besides  a  small 
amount  for  traveling  expenses.  This  was  a  period  of  sore  trial 
for  the  society.  Besides  the  meager  support  of  the  ministers, 
they  were  shamefully  persecuted.  John  Dreisbach  was  allowed 
the  sum  of  $24  for  his  services  as  book  agent.  The  book  estab- 
lishment being  in  a  very  unsatisfactory  condition,  the  standing 
Book  Committee  was  authorized  to  lease  it  for  three  ears,  which 
was  done. 

Appointments  :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Erb,  presiding  elder. 
Schuylkill  Circuit,  Jacob  Kleinfelter  and  Jacob  Bixler  :  Lancas- 
ter, J.  Breidenstein  and  J.  Eisenberger ;  York,  B.  Ettinger  and 
J.  Vandersal ;  Franklin,  J.  Baumgardner ;  Berkley,  J.  Dehoff  ; 
Lake,  M.  Walter. 

II.  Salem  District,  John  Kleinfelter,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  John  Seybert  and  F.  Glasser ;  Centre,  D.  Wolf  and  M. 
Dehoff;  Somerset  and  Bedford,  J.  Barber  and  D.  Middlekauff ; 
Canton  (O. ),  H.  Hassler  and  J.  Peters;  Lancaster  (O.),  A. 
Kleinfelter  and  J.  Stoll. 

1822.  Fifteenth  conference,  New  Berlin,  June  3-6.  John 
Kleinfelter,  president ;  John  Erb,  secretary.  The  following 
located — B.  Ettinger,  M.  Walter,  and  M.  Dehoff.  Ordained 
elders — D.  Wolf,  H.  Hassler  and  J.  Breidenstein.  Deacons — 
J.  Seybert  and  D.  Middlekauff.    Newly  received — William 


230 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Sholty,  John  W.  Miller,  Joseph  Long,  Abraham  Becker, 
Philip  Wagoner  and  Fred.  Borauf. 

As  the  lay  members  of  the  Book  Commission  seldom  attended 
the  meetings  of  the  committee,  which  caused  great  inconvenience, 
it  was  deemed  best  to  constitute  the  committee  altogether  of 
itinerants,  whose  attendance  at  annual  conference  made  the  meet- 
ings of  the  committee  more  convenient.  The  following  were 
elected  according  to  this  new  rule  :  J.  Dreisbach,  general  agent  j 
J.  Erb,  John  Kleinfelter,  Jacob  Kleinfelter,  J.  Dehoff,  D. 
Wolf  and  John  Seybert. 

Although  this  was  a  year  of  great  trial,  there  were  signs  of 
better  days  to  come.  A  camp-meeting  was  held  on  Canton  Cir- 
cuit (O.),  on  the  land  of  Mrs,  Jolly,  and  another  on  Lancaster 
Circuit  (O.),  on  the  land  of  Daniel  Hoy,  in  Fairfield  county. 
John  Breidenstein  gained  entrance  into  Orwigsburg. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Erb,  presiding  elder. 
Union  Circuit,  James  Barber  and  J.  Eisenberger ;  Centre,  D. 
Middlekauff  and  J.  StoU ;  York,  A.  Kleinfelter  and  W.  Sholty ; 
Lancaster,  J.  Vandersal  and  J.  W.  Miller;  Schuylkill,  J.  Breid- 
enstein and  F.  Borauf;  Lake  (N.  Y.),  J.  DehofE. 

II.  Salem  District,  John  Klinefelter,  presiding  elder.  Franklin 
Circuit,  Jacob  Kleinfelter  and  A.Becker;  Berkley(Va.  ),F.  Glasser; 
Somerst,  J.  Baumgardner  and  J.  Long;  Canton  (O.),  John  Sey- 
bert and  P.  Wagoner;  Lancaster  (O.),  D.  Wolf  and  J.  Peters; 
H.  Hassler  to  seek  and  organize  a  new  circuit. 

1823.  Sixteenth  conference,  in  the  Union  Evangelical 
Church  at  Shrewsbury,  Pa.,  June  2-4.  John  Erb,  president; 
John  Kleinfelter,  secretary.  The  following  located  —  John 
Erb,  John  Vandersal,  D.Wolf,  J.W.  Miller,  J.  Eisenberger, 
H.  Hassler  and  W.  Sholty.  Newly  received  —  J.  Conrad 
Reisner,  Conrad  Kring,  Jacob  Foy,  Thomas  Buck  and  Ben- 
jamin Bixler.  Elders — James  Barber  and  Adam  Kleinfelter. 
Ordained  deacons — ^J.  Stoll,  F.  Glasser  and  W.  Sholty. 

Membership,  1,854,  a  decrease  of  eighty-two.  Average  sal- 
ary, $31.66.  Notwithstanding  the  serious  decrease  in  member- 
ship for  several  years,  this  year  marked  the  turning  tide  in  the 
history  of  the  Church.  A  great  revival  at  Orwigsburgh  began 
this  year  and  continued  several  years,  spreading  in  all  directions, 
and  affecting  the  whole  Church. 

Appointments :  I.  Salem  District,  James  Barber,  presiding 
elder.    Union  and  Centre  Circuit,  J.  Breidenstein,  A.  Becker 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


231 


and  J.  Foy;  Somerset,  J.  Dehoff  and  T.  Buck;  Lake  (N.  Y.), 
Fred.  Glasser. 

II.  Canaan  District,  John  Kleinfelter,  presiding  elder.  Lan- 
caster Circuit,  Jacob  Kleinfelter;  York,  Benjamin  Bixler  and 
Conrad  Kring;  Schuylkill,  John  Seybert ;  Franklin,  Joseph  Long 
and  J.  C.  Reisner. 

III.  Ohio  District,  Adam  Kleinfelter,  presiding  elder.  Lan- 
caster Circuit,  J.  Stoll  and  Phillip  Wagoner ;  Canton,  J.  Baum- 
gardner;  J.  Frey  to  seek  a  new  circuit. 

1824.  Seventh  conference,  Shrewsbury,  Pa.,  June  7-10. 
John  Kleinfelter,  president ;  Jacob  Kleinfelter,  secretary. 
Located — Jacob  Frey,  John  Breidenstein  and  J.  Baumgard- 
NER.  Newly  received  —  Henry  Wissler  and  Daniel  Man- 
weiler.  J.  Bixler  and  Fred.  Borauf  were  received  a  second 
time.  Ordained  deacons — Joseph  Long,  A.  Becker,  P.  Wag- 
oner and  J.  C.  Reisner.  Elder — John  Seybert.  Jacob  Peters 
died  during  the  year.  Average  salary,  besides  traveling  expenses, 
$35.88. 

Appointments :  I.  Salem  District,  James  Barber,  presiding 
elder.  Union  and  Centre  Circuit,  P.  Wagoner,  C.  Kring  and  T. 
Buck;  Somerset,  J.  Stoll  and  F.  Borauf;  Lake  (N.  Y.),  F. 
Glasser. 

II.  Canaan  District,  John  Kleinfelter,  presiding  elder.  Lan- 
caster Circuit,  W.  Scholty  and  A.  Becker;  Schuylkill,  J.  C. 
Reisner  and  J.  W.  Miller.  Without  a  presiding  elder :  York 
Circuit,  J.  Seybert  and  J.  Bixler;*  Franklin,  J.  Kleinfelter,  B. 
Bixler  and  Henry  Wissler. 

III.  Ohio  District,  Adam  Kleinfelter,  presiding  elder.  Can- 
ton Circuit,  J.  Foy ;  Mansfield,  J.  Dehoff ;  Lancaster,  Joseph 
Long  and  D.  Manweiler. 

1825.  Eighteenth  conference.  New  Berlin,  June  5.  Adam 
Kleinfelter,  president;  John  Seybert,  secretary.  The  fol- 
lowing located — J.  Stoll,  J.  Bixler,  John  Kleinfelter,  Jacob 
Kleinfelter,  Benjamin  Bixler  and  F.  Glasser.  Ordained 
elder — J.  Stoll.  Ordained  deacons — C.  Kring,  J.  Foy,  J.  W. 
Miller  and  Thomas  Buck.  Newly  received — John  Hamilton, 
Jacob  Early,  Joseph  M.  Saylor,  George  Reich,  George 
Schneider  and  Benjamin  Becker,  M.  D.    John  Seybert  was 


*  T.  Bixler  was  disabled  by  sickness,  and  Joseph  Saylor  took  his  place  ia 
the  Fall. 


233 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


elected  presiding  elder.  An  edition  of  i,ooo  copies  of  the  Geist- 
liche  Viole  was  ordered  to  be  published  this  year.  Conference 
leased  the  printing  house  to  George  Miller,  at  a  rental  of  $60 
per  annum. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  John  Seybert,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  Conrad  Kring  and  J.  Early ;  *  Lan- 
caster, Thomas  Buck  and  B.  Becker  ;|  York,  J.  C.  Reisner  and 
J.  M.  Saylor ;  Franklin  and  Berkley,  P.  Wagoner  and  F.  Borauf. 

II.  Salem  District,  James  Barber,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  J.  W.  Miller  and  George  Reich ;  Centre,  J.  Foy  and  D. 
Manweilerj  Somerset,  A.  Becker  and  J.  Hamilton;  Lake  (N, 
Y. ),  Christian  Wolf  and  F.  Glasser. 

III.  Ohio  District,  Adam  Kleinfelter,  presiding  elder.  Lan- 
caster Circuit,  J.  Long  and  George  Schneider ;  Mansfield,  J. 
Dehoff ;  Canton,  Henry  Wissler. 

*  Early  became  sick  in  Autumn  and  Francis  Hoffman  took  his  place, 
f  Becker  left  the  charge  during  the  year  and  J.  M.  Saylor  took  his  place. 


V 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Third  General  Conference,  in  Connection  with  the  Nine- 
teenth Annual  Conference,  at  New  Berlin,  June  5, 
1826. 

1826.  Nineteenth  annual  and  third  General  Conference, 
New  Berlin,  June  5.  John  Seybert,  president;  J.  C.  Reisner, 
secretary.  J.  Foy,  B.  Becker,  F.  Borauf  and  J.  Dehoff  located. 
Francis  Hoffman  and  Samuel  Tobias  newly  received.  P.Wag- 
oner, J.  C.  Reisner,  J.  Long  and  A.  Becker  ordained  elders, 
and  H.Wissler,  D.  MANWEiLERand  Michael  Hassler,  deacons. 
Membership,  2,207;  average  salary,  $38.46. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  John  Seybert,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  T.  Buck  and  George  Schneider ;  Lan- 
caster, J.  W.  Miller;  York,  A.  Becker  and  J.  Bruer;  Franklin 
and  Berkley,  D.  Manweiler  and  J.  Hamilton. 

n.  Salem  District,  James  Barber,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  J.  C.  Reisner;  Centre,  P.  Wagoner  and  S.  Tobias ;  Som- 
erset, H.  Wissler,  G.  Reich  and  J.  Frey ;  Lake  (N.  Y.),  J.  Early. 

HI.  Ohio  District,  Adam  Kleinfelter,  presiding  elder.  Lan- 
caster Circuit,  Conrad  Kring  and  J.  M.  Saylor;  Mansfield  and 
Canton,  Joseph  Long  and  F.  Hoffman. 

A  resolution  of  1824,  instituting  local  preachers'  conferences 
prior  to  each  annual  conference,  was  reenacted,  but  was  never 
carried  into  effect. 

A  resolution  that  on  every  circuit,  wherever  practical,  a  par- 
sonage be  built,  was  reenacted. 

The  general  book  agent's  accounts  were  audited  by  the  Book 
Committee,  and  record  made  of  the  same.  Prices  of  books  were 
fixed  as  follows :  Saitenspiel,  the  large  hymn  book,  at  one  dollar; 
Viole,  the  small  hymn  book,  fifty  cents ;  New  Testament,  one 


234  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


dollar ;  Church  Discipline,  forty  cents ;  Menschen  Furcht,  thirty- 
seven  and  one-half  cents ;  Thaetigcs  Christenthum,  fifty  cents. 
The  preachers  were  allowed  an  average  discount  of  ten  per  cent. 

The  following  Book  Committee  was  appointed  :  J.  Dreisbach, 
general  agent;  J.  Seybert,  J.  C.  Reisner,  J.  Miller,  Thomas 
Buck,  J.  Hamilton  and  J.  M.  S.aylor. 

"The  Western  Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Association" 
was  formed,  agreeably  to  a  petition  from  the  Ohio  brethren,  said 
conference  to  hold  its  session  prior  to  the  Eastern,  to  which  it 
shall  send  its  records  for  inspection  and  approval.  All  moneys 
received  for  support  of  the  ministry  in  both  conferences  to  be 
added,  and  each  itinerant  receive  an  equal  share. 

1827.  Eastern  Conference,*  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,t  June  4. 
James  Barber,  president;  J.  C.  Reisner,  secretary.  A.  Becker 
located.  George  Mattinger,  George  Enders  and  William 
Stoll  were  newly  received.  T.  Buck  and  J.  W.  Miller  were 
ordained  elders,  and  G.  Reich,  J.  Hamilton  and  D.  Focht, 
deacons.  John  Schneider  and  John  Vandersal  died  during 
the  year.    Philip  Wagoner  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

The  total  amount  of  money  for  preachers'  support  was  $922.55, 
of  which  the  Eastern  Conference  contributed  $809.99.  The 
money  was  divided  among  twenty  preachers  of  both  conferences. 
The  preachers  of  the  Eastern  Conference  (not  including  locals) 
were  the  following :  Elders — J.  Seybert,  P.Wagoner,  J.  Barber, 
J.  C.  Reisner,  B.  Ettinger,  J.  Dreisbach,  A.  Becker,  J. 
Breidenstein,  John  Kleinfelter,  H.  Niebel,  L.  Zimmerman, 
J.  Stambach,  M.  Walter,  J.  Stoll,  J.  Frueh,  T.  Buck,  John 
Miller.  Deacons — D.  Thomas,  A.  Buchman,  A.  Ettinger, 
J.  Rickel,  C.  Wolf,  G.  Lantz,  J.  Baumgardner,  F.  Glasser, 
Jacob  Frey,  D.  Middlekauff,  H.  Wissler,  D.  Manweiler, 
G.  Reich,  D.  Focht,  J.  Hamilton.  On  trial — G.  Schneider, 
S.  Tobias,  George  Mattinger,  G.  Enders,  William  Stoll. 

"The  quarterly  conferences  were  instructed  to  co-operate  with 
the  presiding  elders  in  the  appointment  of  proper  persons,  whose 
duty  it  shall  be  to  collect  funds  throughout  the  entire  Association 
for  the  support  of  the  worn-out  preachers  and  their  families ; 
with  this  understanding,  however,  that  the  Eastern  and  Western 
Conferences  shall  each  support  the  said  families  within  their 

*The  records  state  that  this  was  a  joint  ahnual  and  General  Conference,  but 
for  the  sake  of  uniformity  we  will  follow  the  numbering  of  previous  authors. 
\  In  church  erected  the  year  previous,  the  third  one  of  the  Association. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


235 


respective  bounds,  in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  our 
Church  Discipline.    (Landmarks,  page  53.) 

Conference  appointed  J.  Dreisbach,  J.  Barber  and  Benja- 
min Ettinger  a  committee  to  dispose  of  the  personal  property 
of  the  book  establishment,  and  apply  the  proceeds  to  the  man- 
agement of  the  book  trade  as  the  conferences  may  direct. 

Appointments:  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding  elder. 
Schuylkill  Circuit,  J.  C.  Reisner  and  H.  Wissler;  Lancaster,  J. 
M.  Saylor  and  W.  StoU ;  York,  T.  Buck  and  James  Bruer; 
Franklin,  J.  Hamilton  and  F.  Hoffman. 

IL  Salem  District,  Philip  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  B.  Ettinger  and  George  Mattinger;  Centre,  J.  Barber 
and  George  Schneider;  Somerset,  D.  Manweiler,  S.  Tobias  and 
J.  Allen;  Lake  (N.  Y.),  George  Reich. 

1827.  Western  Conference,  first  annual  session,  at  the  house 
of  Henry  Rauch,  near  Wooster,  O.,  May  7.  Adam  Kleinfel- 
TER,  president ;  Joseph  Long,  secretary.  Conrad  Kring  was 
ordained  elder,  and  J.  M.  Savlor  deacon.  Conference  decided 
to  have  no  presiding  elder  this  year,  but  Adam  Kleinfelter  was 
directed  to  attend  the  general  meetings  in  the  Spring  and  Joseph 
Long  in  the  Fall. 

Wooster  Circuit,  members,  176;  Canton,  158;  Lancaster,  160; 
Sandusky,*  29;  total,  523.  The  following  is  a  list  of  all  the 
preachers  in  the  Western  Conference,  who,  with  few  exceptions, 
were  from  Pennsylvania,  and  nearly  all  had  been  in  the  itinerancy: 
Elders — Adam  Kleinfelter,  John  Shilling,  John  Erb,  Jacob 
Kleinfelter,  David  Wolf,  Joseph  Long,  Conrad  Kring,  John 
Dehoff,  Henry  Hassler  and  Moses  Dehoff.  Deacons — John 
Rickel,  Joseph  M.  Saylor,  Adam  Hennig  and  Jacob  Frey. 
On  trial — Francis  Hoffman,  John  Peters,  Matthew  Wonder, 
John  Miller,  Henry  Downy,  Fred.  Borauf,  John  Thomas, 
Jacob  Dissler,  Peter  Miller,  Henry  Stauffer  and  Samuel 
Sager. 

Appointments :  Canton  Circuit,  Joseph  Long ;  Wooster,  C. 
Kring;  Sandusky,  Adam  Kleinfelter;  Lancaster,  J.  Miller  and 
George  Enders.  The  two  latter  were  sent  by  the  Eastern  Con- 
ference. 


*  Late  in  the  season  of  1826  J.  M.  Saylor,  by  direction  of  Adam  Klein- 
felter, visited  the  Sandusky  region  and  established  appointments,  after  which 
Jacob  Frey  served  them  until  Conference. 


236 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Immediately  after  adjournment  of  conference  J.  M.  Saylor 
and  Francis  Hoffman,  who  had  traveled  in  Ohio  in  1826,  started 
for  Pennsylvania,  carrying  with  them  the  proceedings  of  the 
Western  Conference  to  the  Eastern  or  Parent  Conference,  as 
directed  by  General  Conference.  They  both  remained  in  the  East. 

1828.  Eastern  Conference,  New  Berlin,  June  2.  John 
Sevbert,  president;  J.  C.  Reisner,  secretary.  The  following 
located  :  J.  C.  Reisner,  J.  M.  SAVLORand  B.  Ettinger.  James 
Bruer  and  D.  Manweiler  were  ordained  elders,  and  F.  Hoff- 
man and  J.  G.  Conser,  deacons.  The  newly  received  were  W. 
W.  Orwig,  Jacob  Hoock,  John  H.  Yambert  and  E.  Stoever. 
Thomas  Buck  was  elected  presiding  elder.  J.  Dreisbach  was 
authorized  to  sell  the  book  establishment,  according  to  his  best 
judgment.  George  Miller  ("the  printer")  was  appointed  by 
the  conference  to  attend  to  the  book  trade. 

It  was  resolved  "that  hereafter  married  preachers,  having 
traveled  five  years  or  longer,  shall  draw  as  much  salary  for  their 
families  as  for  themselves,  or,  in  other  words,  as  much  again  as 
a  single  itinerant,  and  they  were  admonished  to  exert  themselves 
to  have  the  contributions  toward  the  support  of  the  ministers 
increased."    (Orwig,  page  138.) 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  Adam  Kleinfelter  and  J.  W.  Miller ; 
Lancaster,  Conrad  Kring;  York,  J.  Hamilton  and  J.  H.  Yam- 
bert ;  Franklin  and  Berkley,  G.  Reich  and  J.  Hoock. 

II.  Salem  District,  Thomas  Buck,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  F.  Hoffman  and  George  Enders ;  Centre,  J.  Barber  and 
W.  W.  Orwig ;  Somerset,  James  Bruer  and  G.  Mattinger ;  Lake 
(N.  Y.),  Philip  Wagoner. 

1828.  Western  Conference, Uniontown,0.,  May  5.  Joseph 
Long,  president;  J.  W.  Miller,  secretary.  Fred.  Shower  was 
again  received,  and  ordained  deacon.  J.  W.  Miller  was  ap- 
pointed to  convey  the  contributions,  etc.,  to  the  Eastern  Con- 
ference, so  as  to  include  them  in  the  general  account.  The 
stationing  of  the  preachers  was  left  to  the  Eastern  Conference, 
with  the  proviso  that  at  least  three  shall  be  ordained  men,  and 
that  Adam  Kleinfelter  represent  the  conference  in  the  Station- 
ing Committee. 

Appointments :  Joseph  Long,  presiding  elder.  Canton  Cir- 
cuit, D.  Manweiler  and  S.  Tobias ;  Lancaster,  Henry  Wissler 
and  E.  Stoever;  Sandusky,  George  Schneider. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


237 


1829.  Easte-rn  Conference,  New  Berlin,  June  i.  Thomas 
Buck,  president;  J.  Seybert,  secretary.  Located — J.  W.  Mil- 
ler. Died — John  Stambach.  Newly  received — George  Brick- 
ley,  Joseph  Ebbert,  Solomon  G.  Miller,  Jacob  Schnerr  and 
William  Ray.  Henry  Niebel  became  effective.  J.  Seybert 
was  re-elected  presiding  elder.  Martin  Dreisbach,  because  of 
the  infirmities  of  age,  resigned  as  trustee  of  the  subsidiary  fund 
bequests,  and  John  Seybert  was  elected  to  take  charge  of  all 
moneys,  such  as  legacies,  etc.,  forworn-out  preachers,  a  number 
■of  such  having  already  been  made,  Thomas  Buck  was  elected 
treasurer  of  funds  from  book  sales,  and  to  appropriate  according 
to  the  directions  of  conference. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  T.  Buck,  presiding  elder. 
Schuylkill  Circuit,  Conrad  Kring  and  J.  Ebbert ;  Lebanon,  H. 
Niebel  and  W.  W.  Orwig ;  Lancaster,  J.  M.  Saylor  and  G. 
Enders ;  York,  D.  Manweiler  and  S.  Tobias  ;  Franklin  and  Berk- 
ley, J.  Hamilton,  J.  Bruer  and  W.  Ray. 

II.  Salem  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit, J.  Barber  and  J.  G.  Zinzer;  Centre,  F.  Hoffman  and  Sol- 
omon G.  Miller;  Somerset,  H.  VVissler  and  G.  Brickley  ;  Lake 
(N.  Y.),  George  Reich. 

1829.  Western  Conference,  Tuscarawas  township.  Stark 
county,  O.,  May  4.  Joseph  Long,  president;  Henry  Wissler, 
secretary.  John  George  Zinzer  was  newly  received.  George 
Schneider,  S.  Tobias  and  E.  Stoever  were  ordained  deacons. 
Jacob  Klinefelter  (the  second)  died  during  the  year. 

Appointments :  Conference  District,  Joseph  Long,  presiding 
elder.  Canton  Circuit,  Adam  Kleinfelter  and  E.  Stoever;  New 
Lancaster,  J.  H.  Yambert  and  George  Schneider ;  Sandusky, 
George  Mattinger. 

"During  this  year  the  preacher  in  charge  of  Lancaster  Cir- 
cuit made  the  first  visit  to  the  southwestern  part  of  Ohio,  whither 
several  old  members  of  our  Church  had  emigrated,  and  they  ex- 
pressed a  strong  desire  to  be  regularly  visited  by  our  preachers. 
Although  the  prospects  were  then  not  as  promising  with  regard 
to  the  extension  of  the  work  in  that  section,  as  in  many  other 
places,  yet  it  spread  gradually,  and  extended  over  the  counties 
of  Montgomery,  Warren,  Butler,  Preble,  and  at  last  over  Miami 
and  Dark,  as  far  as  Wayne  county,  in  Indiana,  till  finally  a  cir- 
cuit was  formed  there."  (Orwig.) 

This  year  the  married  preachers,  for  the  first  time,  drew 


238  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


salaries  for  their  families,  /.  e.,  those  of  them  who  had  traveled  five 
years,  besides  their  traveling  expenses ;  but  among  the  twenty- 
two  itinerants  of  the  last  year,  there  were  but  four  who  w^ere 
entitled  to  draw  for  their  families,  nearly  all  the  rest  being  single. " 
(Orwig,  page  143.) 

In  the  Western  Conference  one  of  the  preachers  having  bap- 
tized a  person  who  had  been  baptized  in  infancy,  charges  were 
brought  against  him,  and  the  conference  took  action,  which  was 
also  approved  by  the  Eastern  Conference,  unanimously  forbid- 
ding re-baptism  by  our  preachers  under  any  circumstances,  for 
the  following  reasons:  "(i)  Our  Church  Discipline  gives  no 
such  directions;  (2)  We  can  find  no  authority  in  the  sacred 
Scriptures  for  re-baptism ;  (3)  It  is  our  belief  that  its  introduc- 
tion would  be  followed  by  evil  consequences." 

1830.  Eastern  Conference,  Orwigsburgh,  Pa.,  June  i. 
Thomas  Buck,  president;  John  Sevbert,  secretary.  Died — H. 
Mever,  local,  of  Somerset  county.  Newly  received — Charles 
Hammer,  Daniel  Kehr,  John  S.  Himmelreich  and  Robert  G. 
Hunter.  Located — J.  Hamilton,  H.  Wissler,  J.  M.  Savlor, 
F.  Hoffman  and  J.  Ebbert. 

The  Eastern,  as  the  oldest  conference,  decided  that  a  session 
of  the  General  Conference  should  be  held  in  Haines  township, 
Centre  county.  Pa.,  to  commence  on  the  first  Monday  in  Novem- 
ber. George  Miller  was  directed  to  print  2,000  copies  of  the 
Viole,  at  $20  per  hundred.  The  price  of  the  Discipline  was  re- 
duced to  thirty-one  and  one-fourth  cents  per  copy. 

It  was  resolved  that  such  preachers  in  either  conference, who 
do  not  exert  themselves  properly  to  secure  money  for  the  general 
salary  and  subsidiary  fund,  shall  have  their  salaries  lessened  as 
the  conference  may  deem  proper. 

The  married  preachers  of  the  Western  Conference  shall  re- 
ceive double  salary,  the  same  as  in  the  Eastern,  on  condition 
that  they  make  proper  efforts  to  secure  funds. 

Appointments  :  I.  Canaan  District,  T.  Buck,  presiding  elder. 
Schuylkill  Circuit,  E.  Stoever  and  J.  G.  Zinzer;  Lebanon,  W. 
W.  Orwig  and  C.  Hammer;  Lancaster,  H.  Niebel  and  J.  Schnerr: 
York,  G.  Brickley  and  J.  Bruer ;  Franklin,  C.  Kring  and  R.  G. 
Hunter;  Berkley  (Va.),  W.  Ray. 

II.  Salem  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit G.  Schneider  and  S.  Tobias ;  Somerset,  S.  G.  Miller  and 
W.  Roehrig;  Centre,  J.  Barber;  Lake  CN.  Y.),  F.  Glasser. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


289 


1830.  Western  Conference,  Plain  township,  Stark  county, 
O.,  beginning  May  3.  Joseph  Long,  president;  Adam  Klein- 
FELTER,  secretary.  Absalom  B.  Schaefer,  Christian  Aubel 
and  W.  RoERiG  were  granted  license  to  preach.  Lewis  Henkey 
and  M.  Kibler  were  ordained  deacons.  Adam  Kleinfelter 
located.  The  conference  stationed  but  one  preacher,  George 
Mattinger.  The  remainder  of  the  stationing  was  left  for  the 
Eastern  Conference  to  do. 

Appointments :  Conference  District,  Joseph  Long,  presiding 
elder.  Canton  Circuit,  J.  H.  Yambert  and  Daniel  Kehr;  Lan- 
caster, George  Mattinger  and  J.  S.  Himmelreich ;  Sandusky, 
George  Enders.  . 


CHAPTER  V. 


Fourth  General  Conference,  Held  at  the  House  of  John 
Adam  Hennig,  in  Penn's  Valley,  Centre  County,  Pa., 
Beginning  Nov.  i,  1830. 

1830.  In  accordance  with  the  resolution  of  the  Eastern 
Conference,  the  General  Conference  convened  in  the  house  of 
John  Adam  Hennig,  in  Penn's  Valley,  Centre  county.  Pa.,  begin- 
ning Nov.  I,  1830.  Joseph  Long,  president;  John  Seybert, 
secretary.  The  voting  members  present  were :  T.  Buck,  John 
Seybert,  Joseph  Long,  H.  Niebel,  J.  Barber,  Conrad  Kring, 
John  Dreisbach  and  IJ.  Hassler.  John  Dreisbach  was  elected 
general  book  agent,  George  Miller  ("the  printer"),  assistant, 
and  Thomas  Buck  treasurer  of  the  book  funds. 

It  was  resolved  that  the  new  edition  of  the  Discipline  shall 
be  translated  into  English. 

The  business  of  this  conference  related  mostly  to  the  polity 
of  the  Church,  and  very  important  amendments  were  made  in  the 
Discipline,  as  follows : 

1.  The  Articles  of  Faith. — The  first  article  had  already  been 
changed  in  1816,  and  the  expression,  "three  persons,"  changed 
into  "a  trinity."  In  the  second  article  for  "In  order  thus  to 
reconcile  the  Father  to  us,'  the  words  were  changed  to,  "In  order 
to  reconcile  the  justice  of  the  eternal  Father  to  us.'  In  Articles 
XII.  to  XV.  the  words,  "sacrament"  and  "sacraments "  were 
substituted  by  "baptism,"  "Lord's  Supper,"  "means  of  grace," 
" representation,"  etc.  In  the  fourteenth  arjticle  the  sentence, 
'  That  only  two  sacraments  have  been  iustituted  by  Christ,'  was 
omitted. 

2.  The  General  Rules  and  Instructions  in  the  duties  of  the 
members  of  the  Association  were  changed  and  considerably 
abi)reviated. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


241 


3.  The  power  of  the  bishops  was  so  restricted  that  they  were 
eligible  only  for  two  terms  of  four  years  each  in  succession. 
Formerly  they  had  always  been  eligible,  and  this  was  afterwards 
again  made  the  rule.  The  formula  for  the  ordination  of  bishops 
was  dropped. 

4.  Hereafter  only  itinerants  shall  be  members  of  the  annual 
conferences.  Before  this,  local  preachers  also  had  been  members. 

5.  The  power  of  the  bishop  to  station  the  preachers  was  an- 
nulled. He  shall  do  this  in  connection  with  two  elders  elected 
by  the  conference  for  this  purpose. 

6.  The  responses  in  the  formula  for  ordaining  elders  was 
abbreviated,  and  the  word  "sacrament"  omitted.  The  baptismal 
and  marriage  formulas  were  also  changed. 

7.  Theword  "deacon"  was  changed  into  "minister,"  and  the 
articles  against  antinomianism  and  the  final  perseverance  of  the 
saints  were  omitted. 

A  committee  composed  of  John  Seybert  and  Thomas  Buck 
was  appointed  to  revise  the  Discipline  in  accordance  with  the 
changes  made,  and  J.  Dreisbach  and  H.  Niebel  were  appointed 
an  additional  committee  to  examine  the  work  before  its  publica- 
tion. Adam  Ettinger  and  J.  Dreisbach  Avere  appointed  to 
examine  the  English  translation. 

The  presiding  elders  were  constituted  the  book  agents  for 
their  respective  districts,  instead  of  the  local  agents,  as  formerly. 

"This  conference  ordained  that  the  itinerant  ministry  in 
general  confine  their  labors  to  the  German  portion  of  the  popu- 
lation, and  that  no  more  preachers  be  received  into  that  body 
who  had  not  at  least  some  knowledge  of  the  German  language. 
This  resolution  vexed  and  discouraged  the  English  brethren  a 
great  deal,  and  its  consequence  was  that  the  English  work  suffered 
and  languished,  till  finally  it  died  out  almost  entirely.  Thus 
many  parts  of  the  country  were  and  remained  closed  against  the 
Association.  *  *  *  Herein  the  Evangelical  Association  fared  like 
most  of  the  German  churches  of  the  country,  /.  e.,  il  learned  a 
lesson  by  sad  experience.  In  many  parts  they  lost  a  considerable 
number  of  useful  members.  Even  many  of  their  own  sons  and 
daughters  joined  other  denominations.  *  *  *  These  are  facts 
which  no  one  can  truthfully  deny,  and  which  were  afterwards 
deplored  by  many  of  the  preachers  and  members."    (Orwig. ) 

The  General  Conference  of  1843  rescinded  this  action  and 
completely  reversed  the  policy. 


242  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1831.  Eastern  Conference,  Lebanon,  Pa.,  June  6.  T.  Buck, 
president;  J.  Seybert,  secretary.  Newly  received — Daniel 
Brickley,  George  Anstein,  John  P.  Leib,  William  Wagoner, 
Charles  Hesser,  Jacob  Borkert,  John  Campbell  and  Henry 
Fisher.  Located — S.  Tobias.  Died  —  D.  Manweiler.  Or- 
dained elder — E.  Stoever;  deacons — J.  G.  Zinzer,  S.  G.  Mil- 
ler, J.  ScHNERR  and  W.  Ray.  Elected  presiding  elder — H. 
Niebel;  general  book  agent — John  Rank,  Esq.  J.  C.  Reisner 
was  appointed  to  write  a  biography  of  Rev.  George  Miller. 
A  new  district,  called  Zion,  was  formed. 

The  Church  in  general  prospered  greatly  this  year.  The  re- 
vival in  Upper  Milford,  Lehigh  county,  continued,  and  a  begin- 
ning was  made  near  AUentown,  at  David  Mertz's.  Revivals 
also  took  place  at  Prospect,  and  Seitz's,  in  York  county,  Penn's, 
Brush  and  Nittanny  Valleys,  in  Centre  county,  and  in  Erie 
county,  N.  Y.,  in  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo. 

Considerable  difificulty  ensued  this  year,  chiefly  in  Virginia, 
as  a  consequence  of  the  exclusion  of  John  Hamilton  for  heresy, 
the  general  result  of  which  was  disastrous  to  the  English  work  of 
the  Association.  Serious  schisraatical  difficulties  also  occurred 
at  Orwigsburgh,  Pa.,  led  by  one  George  Kimmel. 

Appointments:  L  Canaan  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  J.  Schnerr  and  J.  Young ;  Lebanon, 
J.  G.  Zinzer  and  J.  P.  Leib ;  Lancaster,  E.  Stoever  and  H.  Fisher. 

IL  Zion  District,  T.  Buck,  presiding  elder.  York  Circuit, 
W.  W.  Orwig,  D.  Brickley  and  J.  Borkert ;  Berkley  (Va. ),  George 
Enders;*  Somerset,  C.  Kring,  B.  Bixler  and  G.  Anstein. 

HL  Salem  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit, J.  M.  Baylor  and  W.  Wagoner;  White  Deer,  J.  Barber  and 
C.  Hammer;  Centre,  P.  Wagoner  and  C.  Hesser;  Lake  (N.Y. ), 
George  Schneider  and  J.  Campbell. 

1831.  Western  Conference,  Green  township.  Stark  county, 
O.,  May  2.  Joseph  Long,  president;  J.  H.  Yambert,  secre- 
tary. Newly  received — Michael  Miller,  Christian  Leitner 
and  John  Rossner.  Ordained  elders — George  Mattinger  and 
J.  H.  Yambert.  There  were  in  the  conference  nine  itinerants, 
twenty-seven  local  preachers,  and  963  members.  Some  of  the 
itinerants  took  work  in  Eastern  Conference. 

Appointments :  Conference  District,  Joseph  Long,  presiding 
elder.    Canton  and  Wooster  Circuit,  George  Mattinger,  J.  S. 


*  In  the  Fall  Enders  left  the  charge  and  F.  Hoffman  took  his  place. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


243 


Himmelreich  and  M.  Miller ;  Sandusky,  J.  H.  Yambert  and  C. 
Leitner ;  Lancaster,  S.  G.  Miller  and  Daniel  Kehr. 

1832.  Eastern  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa. ,  June  4.  Thomas 
Buck,  president;  J.  Seybert,  secretary.  Located — H.  Fisher, 
George  Enders,  J.  Bruer  and  B.  Bixler.  Newly  received  — 
Jacob  Bell,  Henry  Bucks,  Christian  Thomas,  Samuel  Baum- 
GARDNER,  Daniel  FiCHTNERand  JosEPH  Harlacher.  Ordained 
elders — J.  M.  Saylor,  W.  W.  Orwig,  George  Brickley  and  F. 
Hoffman.  Thomas  Buck  was  reelected  presiding  elder.  Mem- 
bers of  the  Book  Committee — T.  Buck,  H.  Niebel,  J.  Barber, 
J.  G.  ZiNZER,  J.  M.  Saylor,  C.  Hammer,  and  J.  P.  Leib. 

An  article  on  the  Evangelical  Association  was  prepared  for 
insertion  in  Buck's  Theological  Dictionary. 

The  conference  resolved  to  establish  a  fund  for  the  benefit  of 
worn-out  preachers  and  the  families  of  deceased  ministers.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  Charitable  or  Sustenation  Fund  of  the 
society.  John  Rank,  Esq.,  of  New  Columbia,  Pa.,  was  elected 
treasurer  of  this  fund. 

Adam  Ettinger  and  Jacob  Hammer  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  have  the  Evangelical  Association  incorporated,  which, 
for  some  reason,  was  not  done.  The  conference  ordered  the 
publication  of  1,500  copies  of  Miller's  Biography,  and  1,000 
copies  of  the  Discipline  in  the  English  language. 

This  was  another  year  of  prosperity.  Buffalo  Circuit,  in  the 
northwestern  part  of  New  York,  was  formed  and  the  work  in  that 
part  of  the  State  developed  rapidly.  A  remarkably  victorious 
camp-meeting  was  held  near  Orwigsburg,  on  the  land  of  George 
Rickert,  at  which  about  one  hundred  souls  were  converted. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  W.  W.  Orwig  and  Daniel  Brickley; 
Lebanon,  J.  Schnerr  and  J.  P.  Leib ;  Lancaster,  George  Brick- 
ley and  F.  Hoffman. 

II.  Zion  District,  T.  Buck,  presiding  elder.  York  Circuit, 
J.  G.  Zinzer,  J.  Rossner  and  H.  Bucks ;  Franklin,  J.  M.  Saylor 
and  J.  Borkert;  Indiana,  E.  Stover  and  J.  Frey;  Shenandoah 
(Va.),  G.  Schneider  and  C.  Thomas;  Somerset,  D.  Kehr  and 
Joseph  Harlacher. 

III.  Salem  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit, S.  G.  Miller  and  Charles  Hesser;  Centre,  P.  Wagoner  and 
S.  Baumgardner;  Lycoming,  J.  Barber  and  John  Young;  Lake 
(N.  v.),  J.  S.  Himmelreich  and  J.  Campbell;  Buffalo  (N.  Y.), 


244  EVANOELIOAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


C.  Kring  and  J.  Bell.  Transferred  to  Ohio,  C.  Hammer  and 
G.  Anstein. 

1832.  Western  Conference,  Green  township.  Stark  county, 
O.,  May  7.  Joseph  Long,  president;  J.  H.  Yambert,  secretary. 
Newly  received — John  Lentz,  Elias  Sickly,  John  J.  Kopp, 
David  Poorman  and  Aaron  Yambert.  Ordained  deacons  — 
Daniel  Kehr,  J.  S.  Himmelreich  and  A.  Riehm. 

Appointments  :  Conference  District,  J.  Long,  presiding  elder. 
Canton  Circuit,  G.  Anstein  and  J.  J.  Kopp ;  Wooster,  C.  Ham- 
mer and  Christian  Leitner ;  Sandusky,  George  Mattinger  and  E. 
Sichley;  Lancaster,  J.  H.  Yambert  and  M.  Miller. 

1833.  Eastern  Conference,  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  June  3.  T. 
Buck,  president;  J.  Sevbert,  secretary.  J.  S.  Himmelreich 
and  J.  Borkert  located.  J.  Schnerr  and  J.  G.  Zinzer  were 
ordained  elders,  and  J.  Rossner,  D.  Bricklev,  J.  Borkert,  J. 
P.  Leib,  C.  Hesser,  J.  Young,  and  J.  Klein,  deacons.  Newly 
received — John  Sensel,  Isaac  Deppen,  Michael  F.  Maize, 
Solomon  Altimos,  Daniel  Miesse  and  Jacob  Boas.  Elected 
presiding  elders  — P.  Wagoner,  W.  W.  Orwig  and  J.  M.  Savlor. 

A  new  edition  of  the  Vtole  was  ordered  and  J.  M.  Savlor  and 
J.  P.  Leib  were  appointed  a  committee  to  compile  an  English 
hymn  book.  To  this  committee  W.  W.  Orwig,  A.  ETTiNCERand 
Joseph  Hammer  were  added  the  following  year,  when  it  was  pub- 
lished. It  contained  333  hymns.  About  ten  years  afterwards  a 
larger  and  greatly  improved  hymn  book  was  published. 

This  was  a  year  of  great  prosperity.  Extensive  revivals  oc- 
curred on  many  charges,  and  the  ingathering  of  souls  was  great, 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  fact  that  after  deducting  all  losses  by 
death,  backsliding,  withdrawals,  etc.,  there  was  still  a  net  gain 
of  331.  The  Church  extended  her  borders,  new  charges  were 
formed,  and  plenty  of  zealous  and  consecrated  men  were  ready 
for  work. 

Appointments  :  I.  Canaan  District,  T.  Buck,  presiding  elder. 
Schuylkill  Circuit,  J.  P.  Leib  and  I.  Deppen;  Lebanon,  J. 
Schnerr  and  J.  Sensel ;  Lancaster,  J.  Roessner  and  J.  Lutz. 

II.  Zion  District,  W.  W.  Orwig,  presiding  elder.  York  Cir- 
cuit, J.  Z.  Zinzer  and  Joseph  Harlacher ;  Gettysburg,  E.  Stoever 
and  H.  Bucks ;  Franklin,  J.  Barber  and  S.  Baumgardner ;  Shen- 
andoah, J.  Bell  and  M.  F.  Maize. 

III.  Salem  District,  J.  M.  Saylor,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  J.  C.  Reisner  and  F.  Hoffman  ;  Lycoming,  G.  Schneider 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


245 


and  G.  Brickley ;  Centre,  Charles  Hesser  and  J.  Young ;  Som- 
erset, D.  Brickley  and  A.  Frey ;  Indiana,  S.  G.  Miller  and  Jacob 
Boas. 

IV.  Carmel  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Lake 
Circuit  (N.Y.),  D.  Kehr  and  S.  Altimos;  Mohawk,  (N.Y.),  F. 
Glasser;  Buffalo  (N.Y.),  J.  H.  Yambert ;  Erie  (N.Y.  and  Pa.), 
J.  Seybert.  H.  Niebel  and  C.  Kring  went  to  the  Western  Con- 
ference. 

1833.  Western  Conference,  Pleasant  township,  Fairfield 
county,  O.,  May  6.  Joseph  Long,  president;  J.  H.  Yambert, 
secretary.  Located — Joseph  Long,  G.  Anstein  and  Christian 
Leitner.  Died  —  Samuel  Frey.  Ordained  elder — Charles 
Hammer;  deacons — M.  Miller,  S.  Seger  and  Henry  Downey, 
Newly  received — Daniel  Tobla.s,  Peter  Getz,  John  Schreffler 
and  Henry  McBride.  Henry  Niebel  was  appointed  presiding 
elder  by  the  Eastern  Conference. 

Appointments :  Conference  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding 
elder.  Lancaster  Circuit,  Charles  Hammer  and  Elias  Sichley ; 
Sandusky,  M.  Miller  and  P.  Getz;  Canton,  C.  Kring  and  D. 
Tobias;  Wooster,  J.  J.  Kopp  and  A.  Yambert;  Miami,  G.  Mat- 
tinger  and  J.  Schreffler. 

1834.  Eastern  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  June  2.  W. 
W.  Orwig,  president;  J.  Seybert,  secretary.  Located — T. 
Buck,  J.  H.  Yambert,  S.  G.  Miller,  D.  Miesse,  J.  Borkert 
and  J.  Roessner.  Died — Christian  Wolf,  J.  W.  Miller  and 
H.  Young.  Newly  received — John  Noecker,  Jacob  Saylor, 
Daniel  Berger,  Jacob  Riegel,  John  Riegel  and  John  M. 
Sindlinger.  Jacob  Hammer  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  Char- 
itable Funds.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  examine  the  new 
English  hymn  book,  compiled  by  J.  M.  Saylor  and  J.  P.  Leib. 
One  thousand  five  hundred  copies  of  the  Saitenspiel  (the  larger 
German  hymn  book),  and  1,500  of  the  Biography  of  Albright 
and  Miller  were  ordered  to  be  published. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  J.  P.  Leib  and  J.  Sensel ;  Lebanon, 
J.  M.  Saylor  and  John  Reigel ;  Lancaster,  H.  Fisher  and  Jacob 
Saylor. 

II.  Zion  District,  W.  W.  Orwig,  presiding  elder.  York  Cir- 
cuit, J.  Schnerr  and  M.  F.  Maize ;  Gettysburg,  D.  Kehr  and 
J.  Noecker;  Cumberland,  C.  Hesser  and  A.  Frey;  Shenandoah 
(Va. ),  S.  Altimos  and  J.  Schimp. 


246  E  VANOELIGAL  AS80CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


III.  Salem  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  J.  Young  and  D.  Berger;  Lycoming,  G.  Brickley  and 
S.  Tobias;  Centre,  F.  Hoifman  and  J.  M.  Sindlinger;  Somer- 
set, H.  Bucks  and  G.  Schneider;  Indiana,  J.  Lutz  and  P.  Goetz. 

IV.  Carmel  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Lake 
Circuit  (N.  Y.),  J.  Harlacher  and  J.  Boas;  Mohawk  (N.  Y.), 
Jacob  Riegel;  Buffalo  (N.Y.),  D.  Brickley;  Erie,  E.  Stoever. 

1834.  Western  Conference,  Lake  township,  Stark  county, 
O.,  May  5.  Henry  Niebel,  president;  C.  Hammer,  secretary. 
J.  J.  Kopp  and  E.  Sichley  were  ordained  deacons.  F.  Borauf 
died  during  the  year.  Newly  received — Peter  Wiest,  Samuel 
Van  Gundy  and  Jacob  Frey. 

Appointments :  Conference  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding 
elder.  Lancaster  Circuit,  S.  Baumgardner  and  G.  Mattinger; 
Wooster,  E.  Sichley  and  D.  Tobias ;  Sandusky,  J.  J.  Kopp  and 
A.  Yambert;  Canton,  C.  Hammer,  S.  Van  Gundy;  Miami,  C. 
Kring  and  P.  Wiest. 

1835.  Eastern  Conference,  Lebanon,  Pa.,  June  i.  W.W. 
Orwig,  president ;  J.  Seybert,  secretary.  Located  —  S.Tobias, 
and  D.  Kehr.  Newly  received  —  Sebastian  Mosser,  Henry 
Thomas,  John  A.  Jacobs,  Fred.  Miller,  Jacob  Kehr,  Daniel 
N.  Long,  John  Poorman,  Henry  Keagel,  Samuel  Friess  and 
George  Seger.  Ordained  elders — C.  Hesser,  J.  P.  Leib  and 
D.  Brickley.  Deacons — J.  Boas,  H.  Fisher,  J.  Sensel,  J. 
Lutz,  A.  Frey,  M.  F.  Maize  and  S.  Altimos. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  C.  Hammer  and  S.  Mosser;  Lehigh, 
J.  M.  Saylor  and  Jacob  Riegel ;  Lebanon,  C.  Hesser  and  H. 
Thomas;  Lancaster,  Jacob  Saylor  and  John  Reigel;  Philadel- 
phia, J.  Schnerr. 

II.  Zion  District,  W.  W.  Orwig,  presiding  elder.  York  Cir- 
cuit, F.  Hoffman  and  H.  Fisher ;  Gettysburg,  S.  G.  Miller  and 
J.  A.  Jacobs;  Cumberland,  J.  P.  Leib,  G.  Schneider  and  F. 
Miller;  Shenandoah  (Va. ),  J.  Shimp  and  D.  N.  Long. 

III.  Salem  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  J.  Sensel  and  J.  Poorman;  Columbia,  D.  Berger  and  J. 
M.  Sindlinger ;  Centre,  J.  Brickley  and  H.  Keagel ;  Lycoming, 
J.  Young;  Lake  (N.  Y.),  M.  F.  Maize  and  J.  Kehr;  Buffalo, 
J.  Harlacher  and  S.  Friess. 

IV.  Carmel  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Somer- 
set Circuit,  J.  Lutz,  A.  Frey  and  G.  Seger;  Indiana,  S.  Altimos 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


247 


and  J.  Boas;  Erie,  J.  Brickley  and  J.  Noecker;  Canton  (O.), 
E.  Stoever  and  P.  Goetz. 

1835.  Western  Conference,  Lake  township,  Stark  county, 
O.,  May  4.  H.  Niebel,  president;  Chas.  Hammer,  secretary. 
Located — J.  Roessner  and  G.  Mattinger.  Ordained  deacon 
Joseph  Ebbert. 

Appointments :  Conference  District,  IL  Niebel,  presiding 
elder.  Canton  Circuit,  J.  Frey  ;  Wooster,  H.  Bucks  and  P.  Wiest; 
Mansfield,  J.  J.  Kopp  and  S.  Van  Gundy ;  Sandusky,  S.  Baum- 
gardner  and  A.  Yambert ;  Lancaster,  C.  Kring  and  A.  Eby ; 
Miami,  E.  Sichley. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


Fifth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Orwigsburg,  Pa., 
May  25,  1835. 

1835.  General  Conference,  fifth  session,  Orwigsburg,  Pa., 
May  25.  Henry  Niebel,  president;  J.  G.  Zinzer,  secretary. 
Somerset,  Indiana  and  Erie  Circuits  were  detached  from  the 
Eastern  and  added  to  the  Western  Conference,  and  a  new  district 
was  formed  called  "Carmel. "  The  time  of  holding  the  confer- 
ences was  made  earlier.  Four  thousand  copies  of  the  Geistliche 
Viole  were  ordered  to  be  published.  It  was  ordered  that  here- 
after the  proceedings  of  the  quarterly  conference  be  recorded  in 
books  kept  for  that  purpose.  It  was  resolved  to  establish  a 
religious  paper  to  be  called  Der  Chrisiliche  Botschafter  (The 
Christian  Messenger),  and  P.Wagoner,  J.  M.  Saylor  and  Chas. 
Hammer  were  appointed  a  committee  to  formulate  rules  for  its 
publication.  The  committee  reported  that  the  periodical  should 
be  issued  monthly  at  seventy-five  cents  per  year,  if  paid  in  advance, 
or  one  dollar  if  paid  at  the  end  of  the  year.  All  preachers  in 
charge  shall  act  as  agents ;  settlements  to  be  made  for  the  same 
to  the  presiding  elders,  w^ho  in  turn  were  to  settle  with  the  pub- 
lisher. The  committee  was  instructed  to  take  charge  of  the 
enterprise,  and  begin  the  publication  of  the  paper  as  soon  as  700 
subscribers  are  secured.  The  presiding  elders  shall  also  act  as 
general  agents  for  all  books  and  publications  of  the  society,  and 
shall  receive  a  commission  of  one  cent  on  each  small  and  two 
cents  on  each  large  book  delivered  through  him  to  the  preachers. 

The  conference  took  important  action  with  regard  to  Sabbath- 
schools,  making  it  obligatory  on  the  preachers  to  be  interested 
in  the  matter,  and  introduced  them  wherever  practicable. 

Local  preachers'  conferences  were  ordered  to  be  held  on  each 
charge  having  several  of  them,  and  conference  made  rules  of 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


34» 


business  for  their  government.  This  legislation  does  not  seem 
to  have  been  carried  out,  and  the  holding  of  such  conferences  on 
each  charge,  as  independent  of  the  quarterly  conference,  never 
met  with  favor. 

The  conference  founded  the  "Charitable  Society  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association,"  to  be  located  at  Orwigsburg,  Pa.  The  dele- 
gate system  was  not  yet  introduced  and  all  elders  had  the  privilege 
of  attending  and  were  entitled  to  vote.  Elders  present — H. 
NiEBEL,  J.  G.  ZiNZER,  J.  Seybert,  W.  W.  Orwig,  P.  Wagoner, 
J.  Barber,  J.  Breidenstein,  J.  C.  Reisner,  J.  Long,  C.  Ham- 
mer, J.  H.  Yambert,  C.  Kring,  J.  Schnerr,  D.  Kehr,  S.  G. 
Miller,  G.  Bricklev,  F.  Hoffman,  E.  Stoever,  J.  M.  Savlor, 

1836.  Eastern  Conference,  Rebersburg,  Pa.,  March  28. 
Philip  Wagoner,  president;  Charles  Hammer,  secretary.  Lo- 
cated— J.  M.  Savlor  and  S.  G.  Miller.  Newly  received  — 
Christian  Holl,  Martin  Hartman,  Henry  Westhafer,  Lud- 
wig  Shuppert  and  Jacob  Vogelbach.  Elected  presiding  elder 
— J.  P.  Leib.  a  committee  examined  Samuel  Miller's  ''Das 
Kernwesen  von  der  Erlosung"  (Essentials  of  Redemption),  and 
Solomon  Miller's  " Kette  der  Verunnft"  (Chain  of  Reason), 
and  both  works  were  approved  and  soon  thereafter  published. 
J.  M.  Saylor  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  book  funds.  A  Gen- 
eral Conference  was  ordered  to  be  held  Nov.  14,  1836,  in  Som- 
erset county,  Pa. 

Appointments :  L  Canaan  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  J.  Barber  and  H.  Westhafer ;  Read- 
ing, Jacob  Saylor;  Lebanon,  J.  Young  and  M.  Hartman;  Lan- 
caster, John  Riegel  and  L.  Shuppert ;  Philadelphia,  J.  Schnerr. 

IL  Zion  District,  J.  P.  Leib,  presiding  elder.  York  Circuit, 
G.  Brickley ;  Gettysburg,  J.  Jacobs  and  H.  Thomas ;  Cumber- 
land, C.  Hesser  and  F.  Miller;  Shenandoah,  Va.,  M.  F.  Maize. 

HL  Salem  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  D.  Berger  and  Christian  Holl;  Columbia,  J.  M.  Sind- 
linger;  Centre,  J.  Sensel  and  H.  Keagel;  Lycoming,  F.  Hoff- 
man and  S.  Mosser. 

IV.  Moriah  District,  W.  W.  Orwig,  presiding  elder.  Lake 
Circdit,  N.  Y.,  Jacob  Reigel  and  P.  Henneberger;  Buffalo,  C. 
Hammer  and  J.  Kehr ;  Buffalo  Station,  Jos.  Harlacher. 

1836.  The  Western  Conference  met  in  Jackson  township, 
Wayne  county,  Ohio,  March  7.  Henry  Niebel,  president;  J. 
G.  Zinzer,  secretary.    Located — Andrew  Eby,  and  Conrad 


250  EVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Kring.  Newly  received — Lewis  Einsel,  William  Campbell, 
John  R.  Miller  and  Matthias  Hauert.  Ordained  elders — 
Henry  Bucks,  Samuel  Baumgardner  and  J.  J.  Kopp.  Dea- 
cons— Samuel  Van  Gundy,  John  Noecker,  John  Thomas, 
Peter  Wiest,  Absalom  B.  Schaeffer  and  Aaron  Yambert. 

Appointments :  I.  Ohio  District,  Daniel  Brickly,  presiding 
elder.  Miami  Circuit,  John  Lutz  ;  Lancaster,  Samuel  Van  Gun- 
dy and  William  Bergheimer ;  Crawford,  Henry  Bucks  and  George 
•Seger;  Sandusky,  Elias  Sichley  and  Lewis  Einsel. 

n.  Tabor  District,  Henry  Niebel,  presiding  elder.  Mans- 
field, Elias  Stoever  and  John  R.  Miller;  Wooster,  Samuel  Baum- 
gardner and  William  Campbell ;  Canton,  Abraham  Frey  and  John 
Noecker;  Columbianna,  J.  J.  Kopp. 

HL  Carmel  District,  John  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Erie 
Circuit,  Jacob  Boas  and  Aaron  Yambert;  Armstrong,  S.  Altimos 
and  Matthias  Hauert;  Indiana,  Pa.,  Peter  Wiest  and  D.  W. 
Long ;  Somerset,  Daniel  Kehr  and  Peter  Getz. 

The  bounds  of  the  Ohio  Conference  were  considerably  en- 
larged. Carmel  District  lay  almost  entirely  in  Pennsylvania. 
This  was  a  year  of  unusual  progress.  Some  of  the  notable  events 
were  the  establishment  of  the  Christliche  Botschafter;  the  in- 
troduction and  establishment  of  our  work  in  Canada  by  J.  G. 
Zinzer  and  C.  Hammer,  and  the  introduction  of  protracted 
meetings.  A  number  of  churches  were  built.  The  camp-meetings 
were  uniformly  successful,  and  the  work  in  general  prospered. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


Sixth  General  Conference,  Held  Near  Somerset,  Pa., 
Nov.  14,  1836. 

1836.  General  Conference,  sixth  (special)  session,  house 
of  John  Ferner,  near  Somerset,  Pa.,  Nov.  14.  Henry  Niebel 
was  president,  and  Charles  Hammer,  secretary.  The  chief 
business  was  the  re-establishment  of  a  Publishing  House.  P. 
Wagoner,  W.  W.  Orwig,  and  John  Rank,  Esq.,  were  appointed 
to  build  or  purchase  a  suitable  edifice  in  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  and 
W.  W.  Orwig  was  appointed  to  collect  money  for  that  purpose. 
In  case  he  did  not  succeed,  a  building  for  the  printing  business 
should  be  rented.  Owing  to  the  distance  of  his  home  from  New 
Berlin,  Bro.  A.  Ettinger  resigned  the  editorship  of  the  Christ- 
liche  Botschafter,  and  W.  W.  Orwig  was  elected.  Charles  Ham- 
mer was  elected  presiding  elder  in  place  of  W.  W.  Orwig.  The 
salary  of  the  editor  was  made  equal  to  that  of  a  married  itiner- 
ant with  an  additional  allowance  equal  that  of  an  unmarried  man. 
It  was  resolved  that  hereafter  the  editor  of  the  Botschafter  shall 
be  elected  by  the  General  Conference,  and  shall  be  eligible  only 
for  two  successive  terms  of  four  years  each. 

An  edition  of  2,000  copies  of  J.  C.  Reisner's  German  school 
book  was  ordered  to  be  published,  also  an  edition  of  4,000  copies 
of  the  Viole. 

"It  was  resolved  that  the  two  annual  conferences  shall  here- 
after be  independent  of  each  other  in  their  proceedings,  the  con- 
tributions for  the  support  of  the  preachers  alone  excepted.  Up 
to  this  time  the  Western  Conference  had  been  entirely  dependent 
on  the  Eastern  in  its  proceedings,  the  latter  body  having  the 
power  to  approve  or  reject  them,  as  it  deemed  best.  The  con- 
tributions toward  the  support  of  the  ministers  however,  remained 


252  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION- ANNALS. 


the  joint  property  of  the  two  conferences,  and  were  equally  di- 
vided between  them,  in  proportion  to  the  number  of  itinerants 
composing  each  conference."    (Orwig. ) 

This  conference  established  the  rule  of  discipline  requiring 
preachers  in  charge  to  give  certificates  of  recommendation  to 
members  who  move  from  one  charge  to  another. 

In  reference  to  the  proper  subjects  and  the  mode  of  baptism 
the  conference  granted  liberty  of  conscience  to  the  members  of 
the  society. 

It  was  ordained  that  hereafter  the  Western  Conference  shall 
annually  send  two  delegates  to  attend  the  Eastern  Conference, 
who  shall,  in  conection  with  three  members  of  the  Eastern  Con- 
ference, constitute  a  committe  to  examine  all  books  and  manu- 
scripts for  publication. 

Samuel  Witt,  of  Somerset,  was  ordained  deacon.  The  elders 
present  were :  Henry  Niebel,  Charles  Hammer,  H.  Bucks, 
Samuel  Baumgardner,  Solomon  G.  Miller,  J.  G.  Zinzer, 
Elias  Stover,  J.  Young,  Jacob  Schnerr,  Charles  Hesser,  J. 
Sevbert,  W.  W.  Orwig,  P.  Wagoner,  Daniel  Bricklv,  Geo. 
Bricklv,  J.  J.  Kopp,  Francis  Hoffman,  J.  P.  Leib,  and  Daniel 
Kehr. 

1837.  Eastern  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  March  27.  P, 
Wagoner,  president;  Charles  Hammer,  secretary.  Located — 
M.  Hartman.  Ordained  deacons — Henry  Keagel,  J,  Kehr, 
J.  Jacobs,  Henry  Thomas,  Peter  Henneberger,  and  Sebas- 
tian Musser.  Elders — John  Young  and  Michael  F.  Maize. 
Newly  received — Henry  Stoetzel,  Moses  Bauer,  George  Del- 
LiNGR,  George  Schaeffer,  Benjamim  Epply,  Jacob  Rank, 
George  T.  Haines,  Charles  Wagoner,  Jacob  Miller,  Mich- 
ael Eis,  Ch.  Hummel  and  Henry  Miesse.  Philip  Wagoner 
was  elected  presiding  elder.  The  following  works  were  ordered 
to  be  printed,  (if  approved  by  the  board  of  publication)  :  Thomas 
AKempis'  works,  1,500  copies;  J.  Vogelbach's  German  school 
book,  1,000  copies;  Miller's  "Practical  Christianity,"  1,000 
copies.  The  Publishing  Committee  was  also  instructed  to  pub- 
lish the  Bible,  several  thousand  Sunday-school  tickets,  and  500 
copies  of  the  constitution  of  the  Charitable  Society. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding 
elder.  Schuylkill  Circuit,  Thomas  Buck ;  Lykens,  J.  Barber  and 
P.  Schwilley ;  Reading,  Jacob  Saylor  and  Michael  Eis ;  Lebanon, 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


253 


F.  Hoffman  and  J.  Vogelbach  ;  Lancaster,  J.  M.  Sindlinger  and 
J.  Noecker ;  Philadelphia,  Charles  Hesser. 

II.  Zion  District,  J.  P.  Leib,  presiding  elder.  York  Circuit,  J. 
Sensel  and  H.  Westhafer ;  Gettysburg,  J.  Schnerr  and  F.  Mil- 
ler ;  Cumberland,  M.  F.  Maize,  Ch.  HoU  and  George  Schaffer ; 
Shenandoah,  (Va. ),  P.  Henneberger  and  M.  Bower. 

III.  Salem  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  J.  Jacobs  and  H.  Thomas  ;  Columbia,  George  Brickly 
and  J.  Schuppert ;  Lycoming,  S.  Mosser  and  G.  T.  Haines ; 
Centre,  D.  Berger  and  W.  Heim. 

IV.  Moriah  District,  C.  Hammer,  presiding  elder.  Dans- 
ville  Circuit,  (N.  Y.),  J-  Kehr;  Lake,  H.  Keagel  and  George 
Dellinger ;  Buffalo  Circuit,  Jacob  Riegel  and  H.  Stoetzel ;  Buffalo 
Station,  Joseph  Harlacher. 

1837.  Western  Cenference,  Green  township,  Stark  county, 
O.,  March  6-11.  Henry  Niebel,  president;  Samuel  Baum- 
CARDNER,  secretary.  Located — Benjamin  Bixler  and  W.  Camp- 
bell. Newly  received — Isaac  Hoffert,  Robert  Miller  and 
Henry  Heiss.  Ordained  elders — Solomon  Altimos,  Jacob 
Boas  and  John  Lentz.  Deacons — George  Seger,  Daniel  N. 
Long,  Peter  Lentz  and  Ch.  Aubel.  Committee  to  visit  the 
Eastern  Conference — J.  C.  Zinzer  and  Daniel  Brickly. 

Appointments  :  I.  Ohio  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding  elder. 
Miami  Circuit,  Jacob  Boas  and  Daniel  Swartz ;  Lancaster,  J. 
Riegel,  J.  R.  Miller  and  Matthias  Hauert;  Crawford,  A.  B. 
Schaeffer  and  Peter  Getz  ;  Sandusky,  J.  Lentz  and  Isaac  Hauert. 

II.  Tabor  District,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder. 
Mansfield  Circuit,  Abraham  Frey  and  Lewis  Einsel ;  Wooster,  J. 
J.  Kopp  and  George  Seger;  Canton,  Samuel  Van  Gundy  and 
H.  Heiss ;  Columbianna,  E.  Stoever  and  John  Kerstetter. 

III.  Carrael  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Erie 
Circuit,  H.  Bucks  and  Robert  Miller ;  Armstrong,  Peter  Wiest  and 
D.  N.  Long ;  Indiana,  Daniel  Kehr  and  William  Berkheimer ; 
Somerset,  Aaron  Yambert,  J.  Young  and  Benjamin  Epply. 

General  progress  :  Philadelphia  Station  prospered  wonder- 
fully, and  a  chureh  was  built  and  dedicated  Oct.  i.  Our  work 
in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  was  founded  by  Joseph  Harlacher.  J.  Boas 
visited  Illinois  and  established  the  work  in  that  State. 

1838.  Eastern  Conference,  Orwigsburgh,  Pa.,  March  28. 
P.  Wagoner,  president;  F.  Hoffman,  secretary.  Located  — 
Joseph  Harlacher,  J.  Kehr,  and  Jacob  Saylor.  Newly 


254 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNAL8. 


received — Frederick  Krecker,  William  Mintz,  John  Rosen- 
BERGER,  Samuel  Krall  and  Alex.  Longsdorf.  Ordained 
elders — Daniel  Berger,  Jacob  Saylor,  Jacob  Riegel  and  J. 
M.  SiNDLiNGER.  Deacons — J.  Vogelbach,  W.  Heim,  H.  West- 
hafer,  Fredericr  Miller,  Christian  Holl  and  George  Shaf- 
fer. J.  Seybert  was  re-elected,  and  T.  Buck  newly  elected 
presiding  elder.  The  conference  sent  $410  to  the  Western  Con- 
ference for  the  support  of  preachers. 

It  was  resolved  that  parsonages  be  erected,  if  practicable,  on 
every  charge,  the  quarterly  conferences  to  elect  three  trustees  to 
attend  to  the  same,  subject  to  the  advice  of  the  presiding  elder 
and  preacher  in  charge.  Conference  ordered  the  following 
works  to  be  printed,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  committee : 
3,000  copies  of  the  small  English  hymn  book ;  2,000  copies  of 
Thomas  a  Kempis'  "Imitation  of  Christ;"  and  2,000  copies  of 
Miller's  "Practical  Christianity."  A  missionary  society  was 
organized.  A  resolution  deprecating  the  use  of  tobacco,  and 
forbidding  preachers  to  engage  in  its  traffic,  was  adopted. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  T.  Buck,  presiding 
elder.  Lykens  Circuit,  D.  Kehr  and  S.  Mosser;  Schuylkill,  M. 
F.  Maize ;  Womelsdorf,  J.  Schnerr ;  Lebanon,  J.  Vogelbach  and 
W.  Mintz ;  Lancaster,  J.  Sindlinger  and  J.  Rosenberger. 

II.  Philadelphia  District,  J.  P.  Leib,  presiding  elder.  Phil- 
adelphia Station,  C.  Hesser.  Reading  Circuit,  H.  Fisher  and 
M.  Eis;  Lehigh,  F.  Hoffman  and  P.  Henneberger. 

III.  Zion  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  York  Cir- 
cuit, J.  Sensel  and  W.  Heim ;  Gettysburg,  G.  Schaffer  and  H. 
Westhafer;  Cumberland,  J.  Young,  J.  Jacobs  and  S.  Krall; 
Shenandoah,  (Va. ),  F.  Miller  and  Moses  Bower. 

IV.  Salem  District,  J.  Seybert,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit, H.  Thomas  and  H.  Keagel;  Columbia,  J.  Barber,  B.  Epply 
and  F.  Krecker;  Centre,  D.  Berger  and  Alex.  Longsdorf;  Ly- 
coming, G.  Brickley  and  P.  Schwilley. 

Moriah  District,  N.  Y.,  Charles  Hammer,  presiding  elder. 
Lake  Circuit,  J.  Reigel  and  C.  Hummel;  Dansville,  H.  Stoetzel; 
Buffalo,  C.  Holl  and  G.  T.  Haines. 

838.  Western  Conference,  Jackson  township,  Wayne 
county,  Ohio,  March  5.  H.  Niebel,  president;  S.  Baumgard- 
NER,  secretary.  Located — George  Seger,  Daniel  Swartz, 
J.  Kerstetter  and  John  Reigel.  Newly  received — Joseph 
Hummel.    Ordained  Elder — Samuel  Van  Gundy.    Deacons — 


CCNFERENCE  RECORDS. 


235 


Lewis  Einsel,  William  Bergheimer  and  J.  Kerstetter. 
Daniel  Kehr  removed  to  the  Eastern  Conference.  Henry 
Bucks  and  Jacob  Boas  were  elected  delegates  to  the  Eastern 
Conference. 

Appointments :  I.  Ohio  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding 
elder;  Illinois,  P.  Wiest.  Miami  Circuit,  Aaron  Yambert;  Lan- 
caster, J.  G.  Zinzer  and  George  Dressel ;  Crawford,  J.  J.  Kopp, 
M.  Hauert  and  Jacob  Rank;  Sandusky,  P.  Getz  and  Abraham 
Loehner. 

IL  Tabor  District,  S.  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder.  Mans- 
field Circuit,  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  H.  Longbrake  and  Joseph  Hum- 
mel; Wooster,  D.  N.  Long  and  J.  R.  Miller;  Canton,  Jacob 
Boas  and  J.  Peters;  Columbianna,  S.  Van  Gundy  and  H.  D. 
Grunder;  Erie,  E.  Stoever  and  Charles  Wagoner. 

IIL  Carmel  District,  Pa.,  H.  Bucks,  presiding  elder.  Frank- 
lin, John  Lutz ;  Indiana,  Robert  Miller ;  Armstrong,  William 
Bergheimer  and  H.  Heiss  ;  Somerset,  L.  Einsel  and  Isaac  Hof- 
fert. 

In  1838,  S.  Altimos,  an  earnest  and  successful  preacher 
from  the  Eastern  Conterence  removed  to  Monroe  county,  Mich- 
igan. Invalid  though  he  was,  he  began  to  labor  without  ap- 
pointment for  the  Master's  cause,  meeting  with  open  doors  every- 
where. He  preached  in  many  places  in  Adams,  Wells  and  Allen 
counties,  also  in  Detroit,  visiting  also  Fort  Wayne,  Indiana, 
where  he  opened  the  way  for  our  preachers.  His  first  revival 
took  place  in  December,  1838,  on  Port  Creek,  Michigan,  where 
he  organized  the  first  class  in  Michigan. 

1839.  Eastern  Conference  was  held  in  Lebanon,  Pa., 
April  II.  Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  president;  F.  Hoffman,  secre- 
tary. Located — J.  Schnerr,  H.  Keagel,  J.  Reigel,  S.  Krall 
and  Frederick  Miller.  Newly  received — John  Kreamer, 
Joseph  Rissman,  Joseph  Best,  Henry  Rohland,  Abraham 
Forrv,  David  Mertz,  Ceorge  Ramige,  John  Kauffman  and 
George  Dressler.  Ordained  elders — J.  A.  Jacobs  and  Sebas- 
tian Mosser.  Deacons — Christian  Hummel,  B.  Epply,  H. 
Stoetzel,  G.  T.  Haines  and  P.  Schwilley.  Elected  presiding 
elder — George  Brickly  and  J.  M.  Sindlinger.  The  salary  of 
the  preacher  for  Philadelphia  was  fixed  at  $250. 

Appointments :  I.  Canaan  District,  T.  Buck,  presiding 
elder.  Lykens  Circuit,  Benjamin  Epply  and  M.  Lehn;  Potts- 
ville  and  Minersville,  M.  F.  Maize;  Schuylkill,  Charles  Hesser; 


256  EVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Lebanon,  F.  Hoffman,  F.  Krecker  and  D.  Mertz ;  Lancaster,  G. 
Schaeffer  and  J.  Kreamer. 

II.  Philadelphia  District,  J-  P-  Leib,  presiding  elder.  Le- 
high Circuit,  D.  Berger  and  G.  T.  Haines.  Philadelphia  Sta- 
tion, J.  Vogelbach.    Reading  Circuit,  W.  Heim  and  W.  Mintz. 

III.  Moriah  District,  N.  Y.,  J.  M.  Sindlinger,  presiding 
elder.  Dansville  Circuit,  D.  Kehr ;  Lake,  J.  Harlacher ;  Buffalo, 
P.  Schwilley  and  G.  Ramige. 

Missions,  N.  Y. :  New  York  Mission,  J.  Burkett;  Mohawk, 
C.  Hummel ;  Waterloo,  Upper  Canada,  C.  HoU ;  Black  Creek, 
Canada,  M.  Eis. 

West  Pa.  Conference :  I.  Zion  District,  P.  Wagoner,  pre- 
siding elder.  York  Circuit,  H.  Fisher  and  J.  Rosenberger ;  Get- 
tysburg, J.  Sensel  and  P.  Henneberger;  Cumberland,  J.  A. 
Jacobs,  Abraham  Forry  and  H.  Westhafer. 

II.  Salem  District,  George  Brickly,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  J.  Barber  and  J.  Best ;  Centre,  H.  Thomas  and  H.  Roh- 
land ;  Columbia,  S.  Mosser  and  A.  Longsdorf ;  Lycoming,  J. 
Young  and  J.  Rissman. 

1839.  Western  Conference,  Green  township.  Stark  county, 
Ohio,  March  4.  Henry  Niebel,  president;  Samuel  Baum- 
■GARDNER,  Secretary.  Located — Joseph  Hummel  and  Abraham 
LoEHNER.  Newly  received — Samuel  Heiss,  Abraham  Niebel, 
Daniel  Kern,  Christian  Augenstein  and  John  Holl.  Or- 
■dained  elders — A.  B.  Schaeffer,  Peter  Getz,  Peter  Wiest 
and  Aaron  Yambert.  Deacons — M.  Hauert,  George  Del- 
linger,  Henry  Heiss,  John  R.  Miller,  Isaac  Hoffer  and 
Benjamin  Bixler.  Henry  Buck  was  re-elected  and  J.  G. 
ZiNZER  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Appointments  :  I.  Ohio  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder. 
Miami  Circuit,  I.  Hoffer  and  H.  Longbrake;  Baltimore,  J.  Lutz; 
Lancaster,  A.  B.  Schaeffer  and  Ch.  Augenstein. 

II.  Sandusky  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding  elder.  Illinois 
Circuit,  Lewis  Einsel ;  Maumee,  William  Bergheimer;  Sandusky, 
J.  R.  Miller  and  D.  Kern;  Marion,  Benjamin  Bixler;  Crawford, 
P.  Wiest  and  Robert  Miller  ;  Mansfield,  J.  J.  Kopp  and  J.  Peters  ; 
Wayne,  Aaron  Lambert  and  J.  Hall. 

III.  Tabor  District,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder. 
Bristol  Circuit,  E.  Stoever  and  A.  Niebel ;  Canton,  George  Dres- 
sel  and  A.  Stroh  ;  Columbianna,  P.  Getz  and  George  Seger ; 
Harmony,  S.  Van  Gundy  ;  Erie,  J.  H.  Lambert. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


257 


IV.  Carmel  District,  (Pa.),  H.  Buck,  presiding  elder. 
Franklin,  Henry  Heiss  ;  Armstrong,  George  Bellinger  and  Sam- 
uel Heiss ;  Indiana,  D.  N.  Long  and  Charles  Wagoner ;  Somer- 
set, M.  Hauert  and  Jacob  Rank ;  Bedford,  J.  Boas  and  J. 
Noecker. 

SECOND  PERIOD— 1839-1850. 

1839.  General  Conference,  seventh  sesssion,  Mosser's 
church,  near  Millheim,  Pa,  March  25.  After  the  opening  exer- 
cises, conducted  by  Henry  Niebel,  Thomas  Buck  was  elected 
president,  who  appointed  George  Brickley  secretary. 

This  was  one  of  the  most  important  sessions  ever  held,  and 
marks  the  beginning  of  a  new  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Church. 

Hitherto  the  Discipline  neither  defined  nor  limited  the  pow- 
ers of  the  General  Conference,  and  its  power  to  alter  or  add  to 
the  Articles  of  Faith  and  Discipline  was  practically  unlimited. 
Provisions  were  made  at  this  conference,  limiting  and  defining  its 
power  in  accordance  with  a  constitution  by  which  it  shall  here- 
after be  governed. 

The  powers  of  the  bishop,  which  were  materially  limited  by 
the  last  General  Conference,  were  still  further  curtailed  by  re- 
moving his  authority  to  assign  (with  the  assistance  of  two  pre- 
siding elders)  the  presiding  elders  to  their  districts  and  the  itin- 
erants to  their  circuits,  and  to  transfer,  in  the  intervals  of  the  an- 
nual conference,  presiding  elders  or  preachers  at  his  discretion. 

Hitherto  all  members  had  a  right  to  sit  as  members  of  Gen- 
eral Conference.  This  conference  introduced  the  delegate  sys- 
tem by  ordaining  that  hereafter  the  General  Conference  shall  be 
constituted  on  a  basis  of  one  member  out  of  every  four  of  the 
annual  conferences. 

The  following  sections  were  added  to  the  Discipline:  "Of 
selling  and  using  spiritous  liquors;"  "Of  slavery;"  "Of  the 
support  of  missions ;  "  with  many  changes  of  minor  importance. 

The  Christliche  Botschafter  was  ordered  to  be  enlarged,  and 
to  appear  semi-monthly  instead  of  monthly,  the  price  to  be  raised 
from  seventy-five  cents  to  $1  per  annum.  Arrangements  were 
made  to  publish  a  German  pocket  Bible,  An  elementary  school 
book  by  W.  W.  Orwig,  in  manuscript,  was  approved,  and  6,000 
copies  were  ordered  to  be  printed,  as  also  a  number  of  Sunday- 
school  books.    Steps  were  taken  for  the  publication  of  a  history 


258  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


of  the  Evangelical  Association.  A  committee  of  three  was  ap- 
pointed to  gather  material,  viz.,  T.  Buck  for  the  East  Pennsyl- 
vania, Charles  Hammer  for  the  West  Pennsylvania,  and  John 
Dreisbach  for  the  Ohio  Conference.  They  were  to  place  the 
matter  thus  collected  in  the  hands  of  W.  W.  Orwig,  who  was  to 
prepare  it  for  publication. 

A  standing  hoqk  committee  was  appointed  to  inspect  annu- 
ally the  chief  book  concern,  and  audit  the  accounts  of  the  chief 
book  steward.  A  second  committee  was  appointed  to  inspect 
manuscripts  offered  for  publication,  and  a  third  to  select  and  pre- 
pare Sunday-school  books  for  publication. 

The  annual  conference  bounds  were  changed  as  follows : 
Zion  and  Salem  Districts,  of  the  Eastern  Conference,  and  Car- 
mel  District,  of  the  Western  Conference,  were  constituted  a  new 
annual  conference,  called  the  West  Pennsylvania.  The  Western 
Conference  was  changed  to  the  Ohio.  The  geographical  bounds 
of  the  conferences  were  as  follows :  The  first  named  embraced 
that  part  of  Pennsylvania  east  of  the  Susquehanna  River,  New 
York,  as  far  as  Buffalo,  and  subsequently  Upper  Canada.  The 
second  embraced  the  territory  west  of  the  Susquehanna  (and 
the  north  branch  of  the  same),  Carroll  county,  Maryland,  and 
Washington  county  in  the  western  part  of  the  State.  The  Shenan- 
doah Valley  in  Virginia,  as  far  south  as  Woodstock,  and  several 
of  the  counties  in  (now)  West  Virginia,  along  the  Potomac 
River.  The  third  embraced  the  greater  part  of  Ohio,  and  ex- 
tended into  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  and  Michigan. 

John  Sevbert  was  elected  bishop,  W.  W.  Orwig  was  re- 
elected editor  of  the  Christliche  Botschafter,  and  Charles  Ham- 
mer was  elected  book  agent. 

A  constitution  for  a  general  missionary  society  was  approved 
and  adopted,  and  the  organization  already  effected  under  that 
constitution  was  called  "The  Missionary  Society  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association  of  North  America. "  This  was  constituted  the 
parent  society,  all  conference  societies  to  be  auxiliaries. 

Stringent  resolutions  were  adopted,  making  it  incumbent  upon 
local  preachers  to  attend  local  preachers'  conferences.  In  case 
of  neglect,  for  the  first  offence  the  offender  shall  be  put  on  pro- 
bation, and  for  the  second  offense  he  shall  be  deposed. 

The  preachers  were  enjoined  to  preach,  defend  and  admin- 
ister infant  as  well  as  adult  baptism,  according  to  our  Discipline, 
and  if  any  who  were  baptized  in  infancy  are  not  satisfied,  they 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


259 


shall  be  re-baptized  ;  but  no  preacher  shall  advocate  re-baptism. 

Elders  present — Eastern  Conference  :  Thomas  Buck,  James 
Barber,  John  Sensel,George  Brickley,  Daniel  Kehr,  Joseph 
Harlacher,  Francis  Hoffman,  J.  M.  Sindlinger,  John  Young, 
Charles  Hammer,  Charles  Hesser,  John  Seybert,  Michael 
F.  Maize,  Solomon  G.  Miller,  John  P.  Leib,  Daniel  Berger, 
Philip  AVagoner,  W.  W.  Orwig. 

Western  Conference:  Joseph  Long,  Elias  Stoever,  John 
LuTZ,  Henry  Niebel,  Jacob  Boas,  Peter  Wiest,  John  G. 
Zinzer,  Absalom  B.  Shaefer,  Peter  Gates,  Henry  Buck, 
Samuel  Van  Gundy,  Aaron  Yambert,  J.  J.  Kopp. 

This  period  is  especially  eventful  in  the  history  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association.  The  General  Conference  of  1839  marks 
the  introduction  of  a  new  era  in  the  church.  Narrow  methods 
were  thrown  aside,  and  the  church  caught  the  spirit  of  progress 
everywhere  astir  in  the  land.  The  most  marked  characteristic 
of  this  period  is  the  wonderful  impetus  given  the  church  by  the 
development  of  the  great  West.  Soon  after  his  elevation  to  the 
episcopacy,  Bishop  Seybert  paid  a  visit  to  Illinois.  The  great 
influx  of  Germans  into  that  State  and  Wisconsin,  in  addition  to 
the  extensive  emigration  from  Pennsylvania,  deeply  impressed 
him  with  the  importance  of  our  work  in  that  ever-widening  field. 
His  foresight  is  well  attested  by  the  success  which  crowned  the 
labors  of  the  Evangelical  missionaries  in  that  region.  They 
were  the  first  German  missionaries  in  many  cities  of  Illinois, 
notably  Chicago,  and  were  among  the  first  to  carry  a  pure  gos- 
pel to  the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Fatherland  in  the  territory 
of  Wisconsin. 

This  period  also  marks  the  revival  of  the  English  interests  of 
the  Evangelical  Association.  The  first  General  Conference 
composed  of  regularly  elected  delegates  was  held  in  1843.  Here 
the  old  tradition  that  the  church  should  confine  itself  to  the  Ger- 
man element,  was  thrown  aside.  The  narrow  policy  of  former 
years  was  completely  reversed,  and  the  pace  was  set  in  accord- 
ance with  what  seemed  to  be  the  manifest  destiny  of  the  Church. 
The  General  Conference  having  sounded  the  key  note  of  prog- 
ress, the  church  in  general  caught  up  the  refrain.  While  the 
work  gained  ground  rapidly  among  the  Germans  of  the  West, 
it  was  no  less  successful  in  the  East. 

The  establishing  of  the  English  organ  of  the  church,  the 
Evangelical  Messenger,  was  proof  positive  that  the  Association 


260 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


had  enlarged  her  sphere  of  labor  beyond  the  lines  of  language 
and  national  prejudices,  and  that  her  calling,  whatever  it  may 
have  been  in  the  past,  was  now  manifestly  to  work  in  whatever 
way  or  capacity  the  guiding  hand  of  Providence  might  direct. 

1840.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa.,  March 
25.  Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  president :  Jacob  Vogelbach,  secre- 
tary. Newly  received — F.  Banner,  D.  Fisher  and  Michael 
SiNDLiNGER.  Ordained  elders — J.  Vogelbach,  W.  Heim,  G. 
Schaeffer  and  C.  Holl.  Deacons — W.  Mintz,  F.  Krecker, 
J.  RosENBERGER,  M.  Eis  and  M.  Lehn.  J.  P.  Leib  was  re- 
elected presiding  elder. 

Appointments :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  J.  P.  Leib,  presid- 
ing elder.  Philadelphia,  J.  Vogelbach ;  Milford  Circuit,  J.  Sen- 
sel  and  H.  Stoetzel ;  Lehigh,  M.  F.  Maize  and  G.  T.  Haines  ; 
Reading,  Jacob  Saylor  and  Henry  Fisher. 

II.  Canaan  District,  T.  Buck,  presiding  elder.  Lykens  Cir- 
cuit, C.  Holl  and  W.  Mintz ;  Schuylkill,  F.  Hoffman,  Charles 
Hesser  and  D.  Mertz ;  Lebanon,  D.  Berger  and  F.  Danner ;  Lan- 
caster, W.  Heim  and  J.  Kramer. 

III.  Moriah  District,  (N.  Y. ),  J.  M.  Sindlinger,  presiding 
elder.  Mohawk  Circuit,  C.  Hummel  and  G.  Ramige ;  Lake,  M. 
Lehn  and  D.  Fisher;  Buffalo,  P.  Schwilley,  Buffalo  Station,  Fred. 
Krecker;  Black  Creek,  M.  Eis  and  Michael  Sindlinger;  Water- 
loo Mission,  J.  Harlacker;  New  York  City  Mission,  Jacob 
Burkett. 

1840.  West  Pa.  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  April  8. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  George  Bricklev,  secretary. 
Henry  Thomas  was  ordained  elder,  and  Jacob  Rank  and  Alex- 
ander LoNGSDORF  deacons.  Owing  to  a  great  lack  of  preach- 
ers, the  West  Pa.  Conference  was  at  this  session  sadly  reduced,* 
and  the  Fourth  of  July  next  was  appointed  as  a  day  of  fasting 
and  prayer,  that  God  would  raise  up  ministers  to  carry  on  the 
work. 

Appointments  :  I.  Zion  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder. 
York  and  Gettysburg  Circuits,  John  A.  Jacobs  and  J.  Kauffman  ; 
Cumberland,  George  Shaffer  and  Moses  Bower;  Baltimore  Sta- 
tion, Jacob  Boas. 

II.  Salem  District,  George  Brickly  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  Benjamin  Epply;  Lycoming,  James  Barber;  Columbia, 


See  Article  on  Ministry. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


261 


Alexander  Longsdorf  and  J.  Noecker :  Centre,  Henry  Thomas 
and  Jacob  Brobst. 

Carmel  District,  Henry  Bucks,  presiding  elder.  Franklin 
Circuit,  D.  N.  Long;  Indiana,  Jacob  Rank ;  Armstrong,  George 
Bellinger  and  Samuel  Heiss ;  Somerset,  Henry  Rohland,  Charles 
Wagoner;  Bedford,  M.  Hauert. 

1840.  Ohio  Conference  was  held  in  the  house  of  Solomon 
Mover,  in  Walnut  township,  Pickaway  county,  Ohio,  beginning 
May  13.  Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  sec- 
retary. Located — George  Seger,  William  Bergheimer,  Ben- 
jamin BiXLER  and  J.  Peters.  Ordained  elder — Lewis  Einsel. 
Deacons — Jacob  Frey,  H.  Longbrake,  Christian  Thomas  and 
Robert  Miller.  Newly  received — John  Hershey,  Levi  Heiss, 
Jacob  Miller,  Jacob  Kemmerling,  John  Schaffer,  Frederick 
Wahl,  John  Mayer,  Christian  Lintner  and  Jacob  Lutz. 
Samuel  Van  Gundy  and  George  Dressel  died  during  the  year. 

Appointments :  I.  Ohio  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding 
elder.  Illinois  Circuit,  Isaac  HofEer  and  D.  Kern;  Miami,  A. 
B.  Schaeffer  and  Levi  Heiss;  Pickaway,  Lewis  Einsel  and  Fred- 
erick Wahl;  Lancaster,  Aaron  Yambert  and  Jacob  Lutz. 

II.  Sandusky  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding  elder.  Sandusky 
Circuit,  Robert  Miller  and  Christian  Thomas ;  Lake,  Adam 
Stroh  and  John  Hall ;  Crawford,  John  R.  Miller  and  John 
Mayer;  Marion,  H.  Longbrake;  Mansfield,  Abraham  Niebel 
and  Jacob  Kemmerling ;  Wayne,  Samuel  Baumgardner  and 
Christian  Lintner. 

III.  Tabor  District,  J.  J.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Harmony 
Circuit,  E.  Stoever;  Erie,  P.  Getz  and  Christian  Augenstein. 
Illinois  Mission,  John  Lutz.  Bristol  Circuit,  Jacob  Frey  and 
John  Shaffer;  Canton,  P.  Wiest  and  Jacob  Miller;  Columbianna, 
Henry  Heiss  and  John  Hershey. 

General  developments  during  the  year  were  :  Considerable 
ingathering  of  souls  in  Canada,  especially  at  Waterloo.  Great 
success  of  J.  Boas  in  Baltimore,  Md.  Beginning  of  the  work  ir. 
Rochester,  N.  Y.,  by  Samuel  Muck.  Class  formed,  Jan.  10, 
1841.  In  Philadelphia  J.  Vogelbach  forsook  his  congregation. 
First  class  in  Wisconsin  was  formed,  near  Wilwaukee,  John  G. 
Esslinger,  leader.  The  work  in  Indiana  (connected  with  Mi- 
ami Circuit),  was  considerably  extended  and  the  first  camp- 
meeting  of  the  church  in  the  State  held  on  land  of  John  Dill,  in 
Wayne  county.    Work  established  this  year  in  Cleveland,  Ohio, 


263 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


by  A.  Stroh,  taken  up  as  a  mission,  1841,  and  Lewis  Einsel 
appointed  missionary.  A  small  church  was  built  the  latter  year. 
In  the  Fall  of  1840,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder,  visited  the 
work  in  Illinois.  The  book  establishment  prospered  remarkably. 
Michael  Maize,  Sr.,  L.  Zimmerman (i),  S.  Altimos(2)  and 
William  Bergheisier  died  during  the  year. 

1841.  East  Pa.  Conference,  four  miles  west  of  Seneca  FaUs, 
N.  Y.,  March  17.  Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president  ;  William 
MiNTZ,  secretary.  Located — H.  Stoetzel  and  D.  Mertz. 
Newly  received — J.  Dareich.  Ordained  elders  —  G.  T.  Haines, 
P.  ScHwiLLEV,  Ch.  Hummel  and  M.  Eis.  deacons — J.  Kreamer, 

G.  Ramige  and  F.  Banner. 

Appointments :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  J.  P.  Leib,  presid- 
ing elder.  Philadelphia,  Ch.  Hesser;  Reading  Circuit,  J.  Burkitt; 
Milford,  G.  T.  Haines  and  W.  Garrett ;  Lehigh,  M.  F.  Maize 
and  J.  Kreamer ;  Womelsdorf,  Jacob  Saylor. 

II.  Canaan  District.  T.  Buck,  presiding  elder.  Lancaster 
Circuit,  H.  Fisher  and  C.  Holl ;  Lebanon  Station,  D.  Berger ; 
Dauphin,  J.  Sensel.  Orwigsburgh,  W.  Mintz j  Schuylkill,  F. 
Hoffman ;  Pottsville  Station,  W.  Heim  ;  Lykens,  F.  Danner  and 
S.  Neitz. 

III.  Moriah  District,  J.  M.  Sindlinger,  presiding  elder. 
Mohawk  Circuit,  G.  Ramige  and  D.  Fisher ;  Lake,  M.  Lehn  and 
M.  Sindlinger  ;  Buffalo,  Ch.  Hummel ;  Buffalo  Station,  F.  Kreck- 
er ;  Black  Creek,  P.  Schwilley  ;  Waterloo,  J.  Harlacher  and  J. 
Dareich  ;  New  York  City,  Miss.,  M.  Eis. 

1841.  West  Pa.  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  April  7. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  H.  Bucks,  secretary.    Located — 

H.  Thomas.    Newly  received — Joseph  Truby,  John  Brickley, 

Biographical. — (i)Leonard  Zimmerman,  Jr.,  was  the  son  of  Leonard 
and  Sophia  Z.,  who  were  among  the  first  supports  of  Albright.  He  was  born 
in  Schuylkill  county,  1 783,  and  died  at  Manheim,  Pa.,  in  1840.  His  wife  Anna 
died  in  1846,  aged  68  years.  He  was  converted  in  his  father's  house  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  century.  He  was  awakened  by  a  powerful  sermon  preached  by 
Albright  from  the  words,  "But  who  may  abide  the  day  of  His  coming?" 
(Mai.  iii.  2).  His  penitential  struggle  was  severe,  so  that  even  Albright  de- 
clared he  had  never  witnessed  anything  like  it.  In  181 1  he  was  received  into 
the  traveling  ministry  and  labored  with  great  acceptance  until  1 82 1,  when  im- 
paired health  compelled  him  to  locate,  and  thereafter  he  continued  in  a  local 
capacity  until  his  death. 

(2)  .Solomon  Altimos  born  in  Pennsylvania  ;  received  in  the  Eastern  Con- 
ference 1833  ;  removed  to  Michigan  1838,  where  he  organized  the  first  Evangel- 
ical societies  in  that  year ;  died  in  Monroe  county,  Michigan,  March  18,  1841. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


263 


Jacob  Heiss,  Joseph  Weber  and  Levi  Eberhart.  Ordained 
elders — Benjamin  Eppley,  Adam  Ettinger,  M.  Hauert  and 
George  Dellinger.  Deacons  —  S.  Heiss,  M.  Bower  and  H. 
RoHLAND.    Re-elected  presiding  elder — P.  Wagoner. 

Appointments  :  I.  Zion  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding 
elder.  York  Circuit,  A.  Ettinger  and  M.  Lehn ;  Gettysburg, 
George  Dellinger;  Cumberland,  J.  A.  Jacobs  and  D.  N.  Long; 
Virginia,  M.  Bower;  Baltimore  Mission,  J.  Boas. 

n.  Salem  District,George  Brickley,  presiding  elder.  Colum- 
bia Circuit,  D.  Kehr;  Lycoming,  Benjamin  Eppley;  Union, 
George  Schaffer  and  Joseph  Truby ;  Centre,  James  Barber  and 
Jacob  Heiss. 

in.  Carmel  District,  Henry  Bucks,  presiding  elder.  Bed- 
ford Circuit,  Jacob  Rank ;  Somerset,  H.  Rohland  and  John 
Brickley;  Indiana,  Alex.  Longsdorf  and  Levi  Eberhart;  Clarion, 
M.  Hauert  and  Joseph  Weber ;  Warren,  Samuel  Heiss. 

1841.  Ohio  Conference,  Lafayette  O.,  May  12.  Bishop 
Seybert,  president;  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  secretary.  Located  — 
J.  Mayer,  J.  Hershey,  Jacob  Miller  and  Christian  Thomas. 
Newly  received — John  Nicolai,  George  Klopfer,  Christian 
B.  Gattle  and  Simon  Keil.  Ordained  elders — Isaac  Hoffer 
and  Henry  Heiss.  Deacons — John  Hall,  Adam  Stroh,  Abra- 
ham NiEBEL,  Christian  Augenstein  and  M.  Wonder. 

Appointments :  I.  Ohio  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding 
elder.  Lancaster  Circuit,  A.  Niebel  and  Frederick  Wahl ;  Pick- 
away, Jacob  Frey  and  Simon  Keil;  Miami,  A.  B.  SchaefiEer  and 
J.  Nicolai ;  Des  Plains  (111. ),  Adam  Stroh  and  Christian  Lintner ; 
White  Water  Mission,  Christian  Augenstein  and  George  Klopfer; 
Fort  Wayne  Mission,  John  Hall ;  Illinois  Mission,  Isaac  Hoffer. 

II.  Sandusky  District,  Henry  Niebel,  presiding  elder.  San- 
dusky Circuit,  R.  Miller  and  D.  Wonder;  Lake,  J.  Lutz;  Craw- 
ford, Jacob  Kemmerling  and  L.  Heiss ;  Marion,  H.  Longbrake 
and  D.  Kern ;  Mansfield,  S.  Bauragardner ;  Wayne,  P.  Wiest ; 
Cleveland  Mission,  Lewis  Einsel. 

III.  Tabor  District,  J.  J.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Canton 
and  Columbianna  Circuit,  E.  Stoever,  H.  Heiss  and  B.  Gattle ; 
Harmony,  Joseph  Long ;  Erie,  P.  Getz  and  John  Schaeffer ; 
Bristol,  Aaron  Yambert  and  J.  R.  Miller. 

In  the  East  Pa.  Conference  the  work  progressed  finely,  and 
almost  1,000  new  members  were  added.    Philadelphia,  which 


264  EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


had  suffered  through  the  withdrawal  of  J.  Vogelbach,  was  agaiu 
greatly  revived.  In  Canada,  on  Waterloo  Mission,  Joseph  Har- 
LACHER  had  great  success.  The  newly-established  mission  at 
Cleveland,  O. ,  under  Lewis  Einsel,  made  good  progress.  Bishop 
Seybert  visited  Illinois,  in  July,  for  the  first  time  and  attended 
the  first  Evangelical  camp-meeting  in  that  State,  beginning  July 
15,  on  the  land  of  Jacob  Esher,  near  Wheeling,  During  the 
year  Bishop  Seybert  sent  an  order  to  the  printing  establishment 
for  23,725  books  for  the  Ohio  Conference,  at  a  cost  of  $  4, 406. 25  J4 . 
This  taxed  the  resources  of  the  establishment  to  its  utmost.  Sev- 
eral articles  appeared  in  the  Church  paper  in  favor  of  a  learned 
clergy,  which  made  a  good  impression.  During  the  year  several 
newspapers  made  serious  attacks  on  the  Association  and  several 
pamphlets  were  published  to  injure  the  cause,  to  all  of  which 
the  editor  of  the  Boischafter  replied  in  a  mild.  Christian  spirit. 

1842.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Allentown,  Pa.,  March  2. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  Henry  Fisher,  secretary.  Lo- 
cated— J.  Burkett  and  Joseph  Harlacher.  T.  Buck  permitted 
to  remain  in  the  itinerancy  and  preach  as  his  health  will  permit. 
Newly  received  —  H.  Sauer,  Joseph  Gross,  T.  Steck  and 
William  Schmidt.  Ordained  elders — W.  Mintz,  F.  Krecker 
and  M.  Lehn.  Deacons  —  S.  Neitz,  D.  Fisher,  M.  Sindlinger, 
C.  Meyers,  S.  Miesse  and  D.  Mertz.  Elected  presiding  elder — 
H.  Fisher. 

Appointments  :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  H.  Fisher,  presid- 
ing elder.  Philadelphia  Station,  M.  F.  Maize;  New  York  Mis- 
sion, C.  Meyers ;  Milford  Circuit,  C.  Hummel,  J.  Kreamer  and 
Joseph  Gross  ;  Lehigh,  C.  Hesser  and  William  Mintz  ;  Womels- 
dorf,  F.  Hoffman  and  P.  Swilley;  Germantown  and  Manayunk, 
J.  M.  Saylor. 

II.  Canaan  District,  J.  P.  "Leib,  presiding  elder.  Lancaster 
Circuit,  J.  C.  Reisner,  J.  Dareich  and  T.  Steck  ;  Lebanon,  Jacob 
Saylor 'and  F.  Danner;  Schuylkill,  D.  Berger  and  S.  Neitz; 
Lykens,  J.  Sensel  and  G.  T.  Haines;  Pine  Grove,  T.  Buck; 
Pottsville  Station,  W.  Heim. 

III.  Moriah  District  (N.  Y. ),  J.  M.  Sindlinger,  presiding 
elder.  Mohawk  Circuit,  M.  Lehn  and  H.  Sauer;  Jefferson,  D. 
Fisher;  Lake,  C.  Holland  M.  Sindlinger;  Rochester  Mission, 
F.  Krecker;  Buffalo  Circuit,  G.  Ramige ;  Buffalo  Station,  Jacob 
Riegel;  Waterloo  Circuit,  M.  Eis  andW.  Schmidt;  Black  Creek, 
J.  Kehr. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


265 


1842.  West  Pa.  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  April  6, 
Bishop  Seybert,  president;  H.  Bucks,  secretary.  Located  — 
J.  A.  Jacobs  and  Joseph  Weber.  Died  —  Samuel  Witt.  Newly 
received  —  Daniel  Sill,  Aaron  Wolf,  David  Rishel,  George 
Weirich,  James  DuNLAPand  Peter  Heiss.  Ordained  elders  — 
Jacob  Rank  and  Alex.  Longsdorf.  Deacon — Moses  McLehn. 
George  Brickley  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder.  Henry 
Bucks  was  transferred  to  the  East  Pa.  Conference.  Samuel 
Heiss  went  to  the  Ohio  Conference.  Adam  Ettinger  and 
Daniel  Kehr  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Appointments  :  I.  Zion  District,  Adam  Ettinger,  presiding 
elder.  York  Circuit,  H.  Thomas  and  J.  Edgar;  Gettysburg, 
George  Dellinger;  Cumberland,  Jacob  Boas,  James  Dunlap  and 
Peter  Heiss;  Virginia,  M.  Bower;  Baltimore  Station,  Charles 
Hammer ;  Baltimore  County  Mission,  L.  Eberhart ;  York  Mis- 
sion, George  Brickley. 

II.  Salem  District,  Ph.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Union 
Circuit,  H.  Rohland  and  Aaron  Wolf ;  Columbia,  George  Schaf- 
fer  and  David  Rishel ;  Lycoming,  Alex.  Longsdorf  and  Simon 
McLehn ;  Centre,  James  Barber  and  Joseph  Truby. 

III.  Carmel  District,  Daniel  Kehr,  presiding  elder.  Somer- 
set Circuit,  John  Brickley  and  Daniel  Sill ;  Bedford,  Moses  Lehn 
and  George  Weirick  ;  Indiana,  Benjamin  Eppley  ;  Warren,  Jacob 
Rank ;  Clarion,  M.  Hauert  and  Jacob  Heiss. 

1842.  Ohio  Conference, Walnuttownship,  Pickaway  county, 
O.,  May  II.  Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  A.  B.  Schaeffer, 
secretary.  Simon  Keil  died.  J.  R.  Miller,  J.  Schaeffer, 
Isaac  Hoffer,  J.  Kemmerung  and  G.  Klepfer  located.  Newly 
received  on  probation — Christian  Kopp,  J.  K.  Bayer,  Fred- 
erick Mayer,  J.  Bernhart,  P.  Becker,  P.  Hahn,  G.  A.  Blank 
and  F.  R.  Tobias.  Ordained  elders — Jacob  Frey  and  Henry 
Longbrake.  Deacons — J.  Mayer,  Frederick  Wahl,  J.  Schaef- 
fer, Daniel  Kern,  Levi  Heiss  and  Abraham  Loehner. 

Appointments :  I.  Ohio  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding 
elder.  Lancaster,  A.  B.  Schaeffer  and  J.  K.  Bayer;  Pickaway, 
H.  Longbrake  and  P.  Hahn;  Miami,  L.  Einsel  and  F.  Mayer; 
Des  Plains  (111. ),  F.  Wahl  and  G.  A.  Blank  ;  White  Water  (Ind. ), 
A.  Stroh  and  F.  R.  Tobias;  Fort  Wayne  (Ind.),  J.  Hall  and  J. 
Nicolai;  Rock  River  (111.),  L.  Heiss  and  D.  Kern;  Mt.  Carmel 
(111.),  Christian  Augenstein. 


26G  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


II.  Sandusky  District,  H.  Niebel,  presiding  elder.  San- 
dusky Circuit,  Peter  Wiest  and  J.  Bernhart;  Lake,  P.  Gates; 
Crawford,  J.  Mayer  and  C.  Kopp ;  Marion,  J.  Frey  and  S.  K. 
Miesse ;  Mansfield,  A.  Yambert  and  H.  Downey. 

III.  Tabor  District,  J.  J.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Wayne 
Circuit,  E.  Stoever  and  N.  Gehr;  Bristol,  S.  Baumgardner  and 
D.  Wonder;  Canton,  J.  Long  and  C.  B.  Gattle ;  Columbianna, 
J.  Lutz  and  P.  Becker ;  Harmony,  S.  Heiss ;  Erie,  Abraham 
Niebel  and  Christian  Lintner;  Cleveland,  H.  Heiss. 

The  East  Pa.  Conference  located  missions  in  Germantown, 
Pa.,  and  Rochester,  N.Y.  The  West  Pa. Conference  established 
a  mission  in  York,  Pa.,  and  Baltimore  county,  Md.  Ohio  Con- 
ference established  Mt.  Carmel  and  Rock  River  Missions.  This 
was  a  year  of  great  ingathering,  and  revivals  occurred  on  almost 
every  charge.  Owing  to  the  stringency  of  the  times  the  book 
establishment  did  not  prosper  so  well,  and  no  dividend  could 
be  given  the  conferences.  Charles  Hammer,  the  agent,  had 
resigned  and  T.  Buck  had  been  elected  in  his  place,  who  entered 
upon  his  duties  in  May  and  died  Oct.  26  following.  Besides 
the  death  of  T.  Buck,  who  was  considered  one  of  the  leading 
men,  the  Church  sustained  the  loss  of  three  itinerants  ;  Adam 
Stroh,  who  was  received  by  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1840,  and 
died  April  2,  1843,  in  Summit  county,  O.,  aged  twenty-five  years  ; 
J.  Schaeffer,  received  by  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1840,  and 
died  March  8,  1843,  in  Erie,  Pa.,  aged  twenty-six  years;  Abra- 
ham Frey,  born  near  Middleburg,  Pa.,  received  by  the  Eastern 
Conference  in  1832,  and  died  in  Richland  county,  O.,  Jan.  29, 
1843,  aged  thirty-two  years. 

This  was  the  first  year  in  the  history  of  the  Association  that 
a  fixed  salary  was  full.  An  unmarried  man  received  $60,  married 
men  $105,  with  $15  for  each  child  under  fourteen  years  of  age, 
and  an  additional  amount  for  traveling  expenses.  This  caused 
considerable  rejoicing.  There  was  a  surplus  in  the  treasury, 
which  was  also  divided. 

1843.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Lebanon,  Pa.,  March  22. 
Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  president ;  Henry  Fisher,  secretary.  W. 
Heim  located.  Ordained  elders — G.  Ramige,  F.  Danner,  J. 
KREAMERand  J.  Kehr.  Deacon — J.  Dareich.  Newly  received 
— J.  C.  Farnsworth,  G.  C.  Schmidt,  Theobald  Schneider,  W. 
L.  Rebf.r,  J.  Raus  and  Frederick  Scharf.  Died  during  the 
year — Charles  Hesser.    W.  Mintz  and  M.  Lehn  were  elected 


CCNFERENCE  RECORDS. 


207 


presiding  elders.  A  mission  was  located  in  Lancaster,  Pa.  The 
work  in  New  York  was  divided  into  two  presiding  elder  districts. 

Appointments  :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  H.  Fisher,  presid- 
ing elder.  Philadelphia  Station,  M.  F.  Maize ;  Monroe  Circuit, 
G.  T.  Haines;  Milford,  W.  L.  Reber,  J.  Kreamer  and  G.  C. 
Schmidt;  Lehigh,  C.  Hesserand  J.  C.  Farnsworth ;  Womelsdorf, 
D.  Berger  and  F.  Scharf;  Germantown  Mission,  J.  M.  Saylor; 
New  York  Mission,  Christian  Hummel. 

n.  Canaan  District,  J.  P.  Leib,  presiding  elder.  Lancaster 
Circuit,  Jacob  Saylor,  T.  Steck  and  S.  Miesse ;  Lebanon,  F. 
Danner  and  S.  Neitz  ;  Orwigsburg  Station,  J.  Sensel ;  Pine  Grove 
Station,  F.  Hoffman  ;  Pottsville  Station,  H.  Bucks  ;  Lykens  Cir- 
cuit, J.  C.  Reissner  and  C.  Holl ;  Schuylkill  Haven  Station, 
Christian  Meyers. 

in.  Mohawk  District  (N.  Y),  W.  Mintz,  presiding  elder. 
Mohawk  Circuit,  D.  Fisher  and  T.  Schneider;  Jefferson,  M.  Sind- 
linger;  Danville,  J.  Dareich;  Lake,  F.  Krecker  and  H.  Sauer. 

IV.  Niagara  District  (N.  Y. ),  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder. 
Buffalo  Circuit,  G.  Ramige;  Buffalo  Station,  Jacob  Riegel ;  Black 
Creek  Circuit,  J.  Kehr;  Waterloo,  M.  Eis  and  J.  Raus. 

1843.  West  Pa.  Conference,  near  Carlisle,  Pa.,  April  5. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  Charles  Hammer,  secretary. 
Jacob  Heiss  located.  Newly  received  —  George  Cupp,  Uriah 
EBERHARxand  John  Hanshaw.  Ordained  elders — H.Rohland, 
Moses  Bower  and  D.  N.  Long.  Deacons  —  Levi  Eberhart, 
John  Brickley,  Simon  McLehn,  Aaron  Wolf,  Joseph  Truby, 
James  Dunlap,  John  Edgar,  Daniel  Eckert,  Samuel  Strohm. 

Appointments  :  I.  Zion  District,  Adam  Ettinger,  presiding 
elder.  York  Circuit,  H.  Thomas  and  P.  Heiss ;  York  Mission, 
George  Brickley;  Gettysburg  Circuit,  M.  Bower;  Perry,  James 
Dunlap;  Cumberland,  J.  Boas  and  Frederick  Miller;  Washing- 
ton (Md. ),  George  Dellinger;  Virginia,  D.  N.  Long;  Baltimore 
Station,  C.  Hammer;  Baltimore  County  Mission,  Moses  McLehn. 

II.  Salem  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Union  Cir- 
cuit, H.  Rohland  and  J.  Barber;  Columbia,  George  Schaeffer 
and  George  Weirick;  Centre,  J.  M.  Sindlinger  and  A.  Wolf; 
Lycoming,  Alexander  Longsdorf  and  Benjamin  Epply. 

III.  Carmel  District,  Daniel  Kehr,  presiding  elder.  Bedford, 
Circuit,  J.  Edgar  and  D.  Sill;  Indiana,  J.  Brickly;  Somerset, 
Simon  McLehn  and  Uriah  Eberhart ;  Clarion,  Joseph  Truby  and 


268  E  V ANGELICAL  A8S0CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


David  Rishel;  Warren,  Jacob  Rank;  Pittsburg  Mission,  Levi 
Eberhart. 

1843.  Ohio  Conference, Thompsontownship,Senecacounty, 
O.,  May  lo.  Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  A.  B.  Schaeffer, 
secretary.  Located — P.  Wiest.  Newly  received — C.  Kable, 
G.  F.  Spreng,  G.  Haley,  J.  G.  Miller,  A.  Nicolai,  C.  Glaus, 
Conrad  Kauffman  and  J.  McQuilling.  Ordained  elders — C. 
Augenstein,  S.  Heiss,  Abraham  Niebel  and  John  Hall. 
Deacons — Jacob  Kemmerling,  C.  Lintner,  J.  Nicolai  and 
Jacob  Hartman. 

Appointments  :  I.  Tabor  District.  Joseph  Long,  presiding 
elder.  Erie  Circuit,  Samuel  Heiss  and  P.  Becker;  Harmony, 
A.  Niebel;  Columbianna,  J.  Hall  and  George  F.  Spreng;  Canton, 
Nicholas  Gehr  and  F.  R.  Tobias. 

IL  Mohickan  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Bris- 
tol Circuit,  George  Mattinger  and  J.  Bernhart;  Lake,  E.  Stoever; 
Wayne,  P.  Getz  and  C.  Glaus  ;  Cleveland  Mission,  Henry  Heiss ; 
Mansfield  Circuit,  Adam  Hennig  and  C.  Kable. 

HL  Sandusky  District,  Jacob  Frey,  presiding  elder.  Pick- 
away Circuit,  C.  Augenstein  and  George  Haley;  Marion,  H. 
Niebel  and  Henry  Hassler ;  Lancaster,  H.  Longbrake  and  Joseph 
Boyer ;  Crawford,  Lewis  Einsel  and  D.  Wonder  ;  Sandusky,  John 
Lutz  and  J.  McQuilling. 

IV.  Indiana  District,  J.  J.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  White 
Water  Circuit,  J.  Nicolai  and  Peter  Hahn;  Miami,  A.  Yambert 
and  F.  Mayer;  Dayton  Mission,  A.  B.  Schaeffer;  Fort  Wayne 
Mission,  Daniel  Kern  and  G.  A.  Blank;  Mt.  Carmel  Mission, 
C.  Lintner  and  A.  Nicolai. 

V.  Illinois  District,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder. 
Des  Plains  Circuit,  C.  Kopp;  Rock  River,  Levi  Heiss  and  J.  G. 
Miller;  Chicago  Mission,  F.  Wahl;  Milwaukee  Mission  (Wis.), 
Matthias  Hauert. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


Eighth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Greensburg,  O., 
Oct.  23,  1843. 

1843.  General  Conference,  eighth  session.  This  was  the 
first  General  Conference  composed  of  regularly  elected  delegates. 
It  convened  at  Greensburg,  O.,  Oct.  23,  and  continued  eleven 
days.  A  large  volume  of  business  was  transacted,  of  which  the 
following  is  a  summary: 

Suitable  business  rules  were  adopted.  Recommendations  from 
the  annual  conferences  regarding  changes  in  the  Discipline  were 
considered  and  acted  upon.  The  salary  of  a  single  preacher, 
which  had  been  fixed  at  $60,  was  raised  to  $100,  and  that  of 
married  men  from  $105  to  $200,  with  ;^25  additional  for  every 
child  under  fourteen  years  of  age,  besides  a  reasonable  allowance 
for  traveling  expenses.  The  salary  of  the  officials  at  the  Book 
Establishment  was  increased  $50  each.  The  conference  appointed 
W.  W.  Orwig  to  prepare  a  catechism  for  the  use  of  the  society, 
and  revise  for  a  new  edition  of  Miller's  "Practical  Christianity." 
The  two  German  hymn  books  were  ordered  to  be  combined  into 
one,  to  be  called  Evangelische  Gcsangbuch  (Evangelical  hymn 
book) .  The  subject  of  a  denominational  history  was  again  revived, 
and  John  Dreisbach  was  appointed  to  write  the  same.  John 
Sevbert  was  re-elected  and  Joseph  Long  newly  elected  bishop. 
J.  C.  Reisner  was  elected  book  agent  and  Adam  Ettinger  editor 
of  the  Christliche  Botschafter.  A  committee  consisting  of  the 
bishops  and  secretary  was  instructed  to  express  the  views  of 
the  conference  on  the  subject  of  education.  A  committee  was 
appointed  to  prepare  a  plan  of  study  for  the  ministers.  The  for- 
mer anti-English  policy  of  the  General  Conference  was  reversed, 
the  English  element  encouraged,  and  an  English  Conference  was 
permitted  to  be  formed  as  soon  as  ten  preachers  desire  it,  and  it 


270 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


is  deemed  advisable.  The  Discipline  was  ordered  to  be  published 
in  English  and  an  English  periodical  to  be  published  bi-monthly 
as  soon  as  practicable.  The  western  portion  of  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference was  constituted  the  Illinois  Conference.  "The  annual 
conferences,  it  was  resolved,  shall  for  the  future  be  independent 
of  each  other  with  regard  to  the  support  of  the  preachers.  Thus 
far,  all  the  preachers  of  the  different  conferences  had  received 
the  same  salary,  as  in  former  years  the  conference  that  had  col- 
lected the  largest  contributions  had  to  assist  those  which  had 
fallen  short,  and  in  the  years  immediately  preceding  this  confer- 
ence these  short-coming  conferences  had  drawn  the  most  from 
the  Chartered  Fund  and  the  proceeds  of  the  Book  Establishment. 
But  after  this  each  conference  had,  in  this  respect,  to  take  care 
of  itself."  (Orwig. )  N.  Callender  and  William  Nast,  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  appeared  as  fraternal  delegates 
from  that  body  to  convey  the  greetings  of  their  brethren,  and 
delivered  addresses  for  the  purpose  of  drawing  the  bonds  of  fel- 
lowship more  closely  between  the  two  churches. 

The  total  membership  of  the  Church  was  13,070,  viz.:  East 
Pa.  Conference,  4,372;  West  Pa.,  4,508;  Ohio,  4,190.  Total 
number  of  elders,  76.    Assets  of  the  book  establishment,  S27,- 

Following  are  the  names  of  the  delegates:  East  Pa.  Confer- 
ence— J.  P.  Leib,  W.  MiNTZ,  J.  C.  Reisner,  J.  M.  Savlor,  H. 
Fisher,  M.  Lehn,  Charles  Hesser,  F.  Hoffman,  M.  F.  Maize 
and  H.  Bucks;  alternates,  Jacob  Savlor,  D.  Berger  and  J. 
Reigel.  West  Pa.  Conference — W.  W.  Orwig,  P.  Wagoner, 
A.  Ettinger,  D.  Kehr,  Charles  Ham.mer,  George  Brickly, 
J.  Boas,  S.  G.  Miller  and  Henry  Rohland;  alternates,  J.  M. 
Sindlinger,  M.  Bower  and  H.  Thomas.  Ohio  Conference  — 
John  Dreisbach,  Joseph  Long,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  J.  J. 

KOPP,  H.  NiEBEL,  J.  G.  ZiNZER,  A.  B.  SCHAEFFER,  JaCOB  FrEY, 

A.  Kleinfelter,  Elias  Stoever,  H.  Longbrake,  Lewis  Einsel, 
Aaron  Yambert  and  George  Mattinger  ;  alternates,  Abraham 
Niebel,  H.  Hassler  and  P.  Getz. 

This  was  a  year  of  general  progress.  In  the  East  Pa.  Con- 
ference the  New  York  City  Mission  prospered,  and  J.  M.  Saylor 
met  with  good  success  in  Germantown  and  vicinity.  Pittsburg 
Mission,  under  the  care  of  Levi  Eberhart,  succeeded  well,  and 
a  class  was  organized  which  numbered  thirty-two  members  at  the 
close  of  the  year.    The  missions  in  the  far  West  succeeded  very 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


271 


well,  and  resulted  in  a  glorious  harvest  of  souls.  A  church  was 
built  in  Naperville,  111. ,  which  was  the  second  of  the  Association  in 
that  St&te;  and  also  one  in  Chicago,  which  was  the  first  German 
Protestant  church  in  that  city.  A  church  edifice  was  commenced 
near  Milwaukee, Wis.,  said  to  have  been  the  first  German  Protest- 
ant church  in  the  State. 

1844.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  Feb.  28. 
Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  presif'cjnt ;  F.  Banner,  secretary.  Located — 
H.  Sauer  and  C.  H01.L.  Newly  received — Martin  Lauer, 
Abraham  Shultz,  J.  Bush,  John  Eckert,  S.  Spohn,  Daniel 
VViEAND  and  J.  G.  Marquardt.  Ordained  elders — C.  Meyers 
and  S.  Neitz.  Deacons — J.  C.  Farnsworth,  T.  Steck  and  D. 
K.  Miesse.  Elected  presiding  elder — H.  Bucks.  The  confer- 
ence paid  a  bill  of  ^8  incurred  by  an  accident  to  a  team  used  by 
the  conference  delegates  to  the  last  General  Conference.* 

Appointments :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  H.  Fisher,  presiding 
elder.  Philadelphia  Station,  D.  Berger;  Germantown  Mission, 
F.  Krecker ;  Milford  Circuit,  J.  C.  Farnsworth  and  W.  L.  Reber  ; 
Lehigh,  F.  Hoffman;  Northampton,  C.  Hummel  and  G.  C, 
Schmidt;  Monroe,  G.  T.  Haines;  VVomelsdorf,  F.  Danner  and 
F.  Scharf;  Reading  Mission,  J.  M.  Saylor;  New  York  City  Mis- 
sion, M.  F.  Maize. 

n.  Harrisburg  District,  H.  Bucks,  presiding  elder.  Lan- 
caster Circuit,  J.  Sensel  and  Abraham  Schultz;  Lebanon,  Solomon 
Neitz  and  J.  G.  Bush ;  Dauphin,  Jacob  Saylor  and  T.  Steck  ; 
Lykens,  J.  Kreamer  and  E.  Bast ;  Pottsville  Station,  William 
Heim  ;  Schuylkill  Haven  Station,  C.  Meyers ;  Orwigsburg  Cir- 
cuit, J.  P.  Leib. 

III.  Mohawk  District, William  Mintz,  presiding  elder.  Mo- 
hawk Circuit,  S.  Miesse  and  M.  Sindlinger ;  Jefferson,  M.  Eis  ; 
Lake,  G.  Ramige  and  J.  Raus ;  Syracuse  Mission,  J.  Riegel. 

IV.  Niagara  District,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder.  Dansville 
Circuit,  J.  Dareich ;  Buffalo,  D.  Fisher ;  Buffalo  Station,  J. 
Burkett ;  Black  Creek  Circuit,  T.  Schneider ;  Waterloo,  Jacob 
Kehr  and  M.  Lauer. 

1844.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Millheim,  Pa.,  March  13. 
Opened  by  Bishop  Sevbert  with  religious  exercises,  after  which 

*NoTE. — The  delegates  were  H.  Fisher,  C.  Hesser,  M.  F.  Maize  and  J. 
M.  Saylor.  They  occupied  a  two-horse  carriage,  and  were  on  their  way  to 
Greensburg.O.  An  accident  occurred  to  them  near  Trevorton,  by  which  Hesser 
sustained  fatal  injuries.    (See  biography.) 


272  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Bishop  Joseph  Long  took  the  chair  and  named  George  Bricklv 
as  secretary.  Newly  received — Emanuel  Kohr,  Wm.  Reeser, 
Benjamin  Hess,  Elias  Stambach,  Conrad  Link  and  Noah 
Schlosser.  Ordination  text  of  Bishop  Long,  I.  Tim.  iv.  i6. 
George  Weirich,  David  Rishel  and  Daniel  Sill  were  ordained 
deacons.  Charles  Hammer  and  Alexander  Longsdorf  were 
elected  presiding  elders.    Potomac  District  was  formed. 

Appointments  :  I.  Baltimore  District,  Charles  Hammer,  pre- 
siding elder.  Baltimore,  George  Brickly;  Baltimore  Circuit, 
Joseph  Dick;  Gettysburg,  J.  Boas  and  E.  Kohr;  Washington 
(Md.),  D.  N.  Long;  York  Station,  W.  W.  Orwig;  York  Circuit, 
George  Schaeffer  and  M.  McLehn ;  Cumberland,  M.  Bower  and 
Levi  Hummelsheim. 

II.  Susquehanna  District,  P.Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Clin- 
ton Circuit,  J.  M.  Sindlinger;  Union,  J.  Barber  and  C.  Link; 
Columbia,  H.  Rohland  and  George  Weirick ;  Lycoming,  B.  Epply 
and  W.  Reeser;  Centre,  A.  Wolf  and  Benjamin  Hess;  Perry,  J. 
Dunlap  and  George  Dellinger;  Loyalsock,  H.  Thomas. 

in.  Potomac  District,  Daniel  Kehr,  presiding  elder.  Pitts- 
burg Mission,  Levi  Eberhart ;  Bedford  Circuit,  J.  Edgar  and  E. 
Stambach;  Westmoreland, Uriah  Eberhart;  Somerset,  D.  Rishel 
and  P.  Heiss ;  Virginia,  J.  Shimp  and  N.  Schlosser. 

IV.  Allegheny  District,  Alexander  Longsdorf,  presiding  elder. 
Indiana  Circuit,  Daniel  Sill  and  George  Cupp;  Clarion,  Jacob 
Rank  and  S.  McLehn ;  Warren,  Joseph  Truby. 

1844.  Ohio  Conference, Wayne  county,  O.,  May  8.  Bishop 
Joseph  Long,  president;  H.  Niebel,  secretary.  Located — H. 
Niebel,  L.  Einsel,  H.  Heiss,  S.  Heiss,  George  Haley  and 
F.  Spreng.  Newly  received — C.  Haldeman,  George  Platz, 
F.  Frech,  S.  Tobias,  William  Kolb  and  George  Kaag.  Bishop 
Long's  ordination  text,  I.  Tim.  iv.  i6.  Ordained  elders — F. 
Wahl,  Adam  Hennig,  Levi  Heiss  and  D.  Kern.  Deacons — 
George  A.  Blank,  J.  Bernhart,  N.  Gehr,  C.  Kopp,  Peter 
Hahn,  F.  Mayer  and  Daniel  Wonder. 

Appointments  :  I.  Columbianna  District,  Elias  Stoever,  pre- 
siding elder.  Erie  Circuit,  Peter  Hahn ;  Greenville,  Peter  Getz; 
Harmony,  George  Mattinger ;  Columbianna,  P.  Wiest  and  F.  R. 
Tobias ;  Canton,  Abraham  Niebel  and  C.  Haldeman ;  Bristol, 
J.  Lutz  and  Adam  Hennig. 

II.  Mohickon  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Wayne 
Circuit,  J.  J.  Kopp  and  J.  K.  Bayer;  Mansfield,  E.  Sichley  and 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


278 


F.  Freeh;  Lake,  J.  Bernhart  and  C.  Kabel;  Cleveland  Mission, 
Nicholas  Gehr;  Sandusky  Circuit,  Daniel  Kern  and  George  Kaag. 

III.  Scioto  District,  Jacob  Frey,  presiding  elder.  Crawford 
Circuit,  Jacob  Kleinfelter  and  Daniel  Wonder ;  Lancaster,  Henry 
Hassler  and  Matthias  Ruf;  Pickaway,  Frederick  Wahl  and  John 
Nicolai;  Miami,  Aaron  Yambert  and  Peter  Becker ;  Marion,  H. 
Longbrake ;  Dayton  Mission,  John  Hall ;  Chillicothe  Mission, 
Levi  Heiss. 

1844 — Illltiols  Conference.  At  the  General  Conference 
of  1843  the  Illinois  Conference  was  ordered  to  be  formed,  being 
the  fourth  conference  of  the  Association.  At  the  following  ses- 
sion of  the  Ohio  Conference  at  Lafayette,  O.,  May  8,  1844,  the 
organization  was  effected,  and  consisted  of  two  presiding  elder 
districts,  the  Indiana  and  the  Illinois.  This  conference  occupied 
an  immense  territory,  stretching  across  Illinois  into  Indiana  and 
AVisconsin,  about  500  miles  long  and  400  wide.  It  started  with 
fourten  itinerants,  nine  charges,  763  members,  five  churches  and 
five  Sunday-schools.  Entrance  was  gained  this  year  in  many 
new  places,  and  the  foundations  laid  for  flourishing  congrega- 
tions. In  the  annual  report  of  the  missionary  society  of  the 
Ohio  Conference  Chicago  is  denominated  the  "key"  to  our  work 
in  the  West,  a  designation  which  has  been  amply  justified  by  the 
rapid  grotwh  of  our  churches  in  that  metropolis  of  the  West. 

Appointments  :  I.  Indiana  District,  A.  E.  Schaeffer,  presid- 
ing elder ;  White  Water  Circuit,  Frederick  Moyer ;  Fort  Wayne, 
George  A.  Blank  and  Simon  Tobias ;  Mt.  Carmel  Mission, 
Andrew  Nicolai  and  George  Platz. 

II.  Illinois  District,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder; 
Des  Plains  Circuit,  Christian  Lintner;  Rock  River,  C.  Klaus 
and  William  Kolb ;  Chicago  Mission,  C.  Augenstein ;  Milwau- 
kee, Mission,  Wis.,  Matthias  Hauert;  Peoria  Mission,  C.  Kopp; 
Galena  Mission,  John  G.  Miller. 

This  was  a  very  successful  year.  In  the  East  Pa.  Conference 
Northampton  and  Dauphin  Circuits  were  formed.  The  Reading 
Mission  did  well,  and  a  church  was  built.  Success  crowned 
Syracuse  (N.  Y.)  Mission,  where  a  church  was  erected.  The 
West  Pa.  Conference  formed  Westmoreland  Circuit,  West  of  the 
Allegheny  Mountains,  and  Loyalsock  Circuit,  near  Williamsport. 
Potomac  district  was  constituted.  The  Illinois  Conference 
prospered  ;  very  successful  meetings  were  held  in  Chicago  and 


274  E  VANOELICA  L  A8S0OIA  TION  ANNALS. 


in  Milwaukee,  Wis.  M.  Hauert,  established  the  Evangelical 
work  in  Racine  Wis.,  and  J.  G.  Miller,  of  Galena  Mission, 
extended  the  work  into  Iowa.  Membership  at  the  close  of  the 
year,  14,918;  an  increase  of  1,010. 

1845.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Philadelphia,  Feb.  26.  Bishop 
Joseph  Long,  president;  William  Mintz,  secretary.  Jacob 
Saylor,  located.  Daniel  Focht  (local)  died  during  the  year. 
Newly  received  —  Reuben  Deisher  and  C.  Yeakel.  Ordained 
elders  —  Jacob  Dareich  and  Samuel  Miesse.  Deacons — W. 
L.  Reber,  G.  C.  Schmidt,  F.  Scharf,  Theobald  Schneider, 
E.  Bast,  and  D.  W.  Krissinger.  A  mission  was  located  in 
Albany,  N.  Y. 

The  Book  Committee  was  instructed  to  have  English  and 
German  marriage  certificates  printed.  The  ministers  were  in- 
structed to  organize  auxiliary  missionary  societies  at  each  ap- 
pointment. 

Appointments :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  H,  Fisher,  presid- 
ing elder.  Philadelphia  Station,  D,  Berger;  Germantown  Cir- 
cuit, C.  Meyers  and  C.  Eckert;  Lehigh,  F.  Hoffman;  Milford, 
J.  Farnsworth  and  G.  C.  Smith;  Monroe,  C.  Hummel,  North- 
ampton, E.  Bast  and  A.  Shultz ;  Womelsdorf,  F.  Danner  and 
T.  Steck;  Reading  Mission,  Joseph  M.  Saylor;  New  York  City 
Mission  M.  F.  Maize. 

n.  Harrisburg  District,  H.  Bucks,  presiding  elder.  Dau- 
phin Circuit,  F.  Krecker;  Lancaster,  W.  L.  Reber  and  C.  Holl; 
Lebanon,  J.  P.  Leib  and  D.  Wieand ;  Lykens,  J.  Kraemer 
and  M.  Sindlinger ;  Mahantongo,  J.  Sensel ;  Schuylkill,  G.  T. 
Hames  and  F.  Scharf ;  Pottsville,  William  Heim. 

in.  Mohawk  District,  (N.  Y. )  W.  Mintz,  presiding  elder. 
Jefferson  Circuit,  M.  Eis ;  Mohawk,  S.  Miesse  and  M.  Lauer ; 
Syracuse  Mission,  Jacob  Riegel;  Lake  Circuit,  G.  Raraige  and 
J.  Burkett;  Albany  Mission,  J.  G.  Marquardt. 

IV.  Niagara  District,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder.  Dansville 
Circuit,  T.  Schneider ;  Buffalo,  D.  Fisher ;  Buffalo  Station, 
S.  Neitz;  Black  Creek  Circuit,  (Can.)  J.  Dareich;  Waterloo, 
J.  Kehr  and  J.  G.  Bosch. 

1845.  West  Pa.  Conference,  York,  Pa.,  March  12.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  Charles  Hammer,  secretary.  Ordained 
Elders  —  Aaron  Wolf,  J.  Dunlap,  Levi  Eberhart,  Simon  Mc- 
Lehn  and  Joseph  Truby.    Deacons  —  P.  Heiss,  U.  Eberhart 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


275 


and  Levi  Hummelsheim.  Located — Jacob  Shimp  and  M.  Mc- 
Lehn.  Newly  received — J.  L.  W.  Seybert  and  William  Plan- 
ETT.  Benjamin  Epply  took  credentials  for  the  Illinois  Conference. 

Appointments :  I.  Baltimore  District,  C.  Hammer,  presiding 
elder.  Baltimore  Station,  Jacob  Boas;  York  Circuit,  George 
Shaffner  and  J.  C.  Link ;  Cumberland,  M.  Bower  and  George 
Weirick ;  Gettysburg,  J.  A.  Jacobs  and  L.  Hummelsheim ; 
Washington  (Md.)  D.  N.  Long;  Strassburgh,  George  Brickly; 
York  Station,  W.  W.  Orwig. 

II.  Susquehanna  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder. 
Union  Circuit,  David  Rishel  and  Joseph  Dick;  Centre,  H. 
Rohland  and  E.  Stambach ;  Clinton,  J.  M.  Sindlinger ;  Lycom- 
ing, P.  Heiss  and  Benjamin  Hess  ;  Columbia,  James  Dunlap  ; 
Buffalo,  James  Barber  and  W.  Reeser ;  Loyalsock,  H.  Thomas; 
Perry,  George  Dellinger,  and  E.  Kohr. 

III.  Potomac  District,  Daniel  Kehr,  presiding  elder ;  Bed- 
ford Circuit,  S.  McLehn  and  Jacob  Bower;  Somerset,  J.  Edgar 
and  J.  C.  W.  Seybert;  Westmoreland,  U.  Eberhart  and  J.  C. 
Fulton ;  Virginia,  N.  Schlosser  and  W.  Planett ;  Pittsburg  Mis- 
sion, A.  Wolf. 

IV.  Allegheny  District,  Allexander  Longsdorf,  presiding 
elder.  Indiana  Circuit,  Daniel  Sill  and  G.  J.  Frey;  Clarion, 
Jacob  Rank  and  George  Cupp ;  Venango,  Levi  Eberhart ;  War- 
ren, Joseph  Truby. 

1845.  Ohio  Conference,  Fairfield  county,  O.,  May  14. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  H.  Niebel,  secretary.  Newly 
received  —  G.  Behner,  Jacob  Honecker,  G.  Doll,  H.  Born, 

C.  A.  MuNK  and  H.  Paul.    Located — E.  Sichley,  C.  Kabel, 

D.  Wonder,  C.  Haldeman,  A.  Hennig  and  H.  Longbrake. 
Ordained  elders — J.  Nicolai  and  E.  Sichley.  Deacons — F.  R. 
Tobias,  P.  B.  Becker,  Daniel  Schwartz  and  David  Wolf. 

Appointments  :  I.  Columbianna  District,  E.  Stoever,  presid- 
ing elder.  Erie  Circuit,  P.  Wiest;  Greenville,  Abraham  Niebel; 
Harmony,  P.  W.  Hahn;  Liverpool,  H.  Hassler;  Columbianna, 
P.  Swilley  and  J.  Honecker;  Cleveland  Mission,  N.  Gehr;  Can- 
ton Circuit,  J.  Lutz  and  G.  F.  Spreng  ;  Bristol,  J.  Hall  and 
George  Doll. 

II.  Mohickon  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Lake 
Circuit,  H.  Niebel;  Wayne,  George  Mattinger  and  H.  Paul; 
Maumee  Mission,  Daniel  Kern ;  Mansfield  Circuit,  Jacob  Klein- 
felterand  F.  R.  Tobias;  Ann  Arbor  Mission,  G.  Kaag;  Wyandott 


27G  E  VNGELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANIMALS. 


Circuit,  J.  J.  Kopp  and  Matthias  Ruf ;  Sandusky,  Levi  Heiss 
and  G.  F.  Behner. 

III.  Scioto  District,  Jacob  Frey,  presiding  elder.  Marion 
Circuit,  Aaron  Yambert  and  F.  Freeh ;  Lancaster,  J.  Bemhart 
and  P.  B.  Becker;  Pickaway,  Abraham  Behner  and  P.  Getz; 
Miami,  J.  Nicolai  and  George  Haley;  Dayton  Mission,  Fred- 
erick Mayer. 

1845.  Illinois  Conference,  Des  Plains,  111.,  June  1 1.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  secretary.  John  Jacob 
EsHER  was  newly  received.  C.  Lintner  was  ordained  elder  and 
C.  Glaus,  J.  G.  Miller,  A.  Nicolai  and  Jacob  Trometer,  dea- 
cons. Single  salary,  $72.24.  The  preachers  contributed  all  in 
excess  of  $60,  or  $12.24  each,  to  the  missionary  cause. 

Appointments :  I.  Indiana  District,  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  pre- 
siding elder.  White  Water  Circuit,  C.  Augenstein ;  Elkhart,  G. 
G.  Platz  and  William  Kolb ;  Mt.  Carmel,  S.  Tobias  and  William 
Bretch ;  St.  Mary's  Mission,  C.  Glaus ;  Du  Bois  Mission,  Jacob 
Trometer. 

II.  Illinois  District,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder. 
Peoria  Circuit,  C.  Lintner;  Dubuque  Mission,  M.  Hauert ;  Rock 
River  Circuit,  Benjamin  Epply  and  J.  J.  Esher;  Des  Plains,  G. 
A.  Blank  ;  Chicago  Mission,  C.  Kopp  ;  Winnebago  Mission  (la.), 
J.  G.  Miller;  Milwaukee  Mission  (Wis.),  A.  Nicolai. 

Although  many  hundred  conversions  took  place  this  year, 
still  the  net  increase  was  comparatively  small.  This  year  the 
famous  discussion  in  the  Botschafter  on  the  subject  of  a  learned 
ministry  began,  with  an  article  from  the  pen  of  John  Dreisbach, 
entitled,  "Teachers  and  Preachers  Should  Not  Be  Ignorant." 

At  its  last  session  the  Illinois  Conference  divided  Galena 
Mission  into  three  fields  of  labor.  The  appointments  west  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  in  Iowa,  were  called  Dubuque  Mission,  and 
those  in  Wisconsin  Winnebago  Mission,  and  the  rest  were  attached 
to  Rock  River  Circuit.  Total  membership  of  the  Church,  15,015. 

1846.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa.,  Feb. 
25.  Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  president;  F.  Danner,  secretary.  G. 
C.  Schmidt  located,  and  Jacob  Burkett  removed  to  the  Ohio 
Conference.  Ordained  elders — J.  Burkett,  J.  C.  Farnsworth 
and  D.  Fisher.  Deacons  —  M.  Lauer,  A.  Shultz,  J.  G.  Bosch, 
J.  EcKERT  and  J,  G.  Marquardt.  Newly  received  —  F.  Dot- 
TERER,  John  Koehl,  Jacob  Gross  and  P.  Miller.  H.  Fisher 
was  re-elected  and  J.  M.  Savlor  newly  elected  presiding  elders. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


277 


A  new  district  was  formed  called  Orwigsburg.  The  preach- 
ers in  charge  were  instructed  to  be  prepared  to  report  at  the 
next  annual  conference  the  number  of  Sunda3f-schools,  teachers, 
scholars  and  volumes  in  library  on  their  fields  of  labor.  The 
first  Monday  after  Whitsuntide  was  set  apart  as  a  day  of  fasting 
and  prayer  for  the  conference. 

Appointments :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  J.  M.  Saylor,  pre- 
siding elder.  Philadelphia  Station,  F.  Hoffman ;  Germantown 
Circuit,  J.  C.  Farnsworth  and  D.  Wieand;  Lehigh,  J.  Kraemer; 
Northampton,  E.  Bast  and  F.  Dotterer;  Milford,  C.  Holl  and 
J.  Koehl ;  New  York  Mission,  C.  Meyers. 

II.  Lebanon  District,  H.  Bucks,  presiding  elder.  Lebanon 
Circuit,  G.  T.  Haines  and  M.  Lauer;  Lancaster,  F-  Danner 
and  M.  Sindlinger;  Dauphin,  T.  Steck;  Womelsdorf,  A.  Shultz; 
Reading  Mission,  D.  Berger;  Lancaster  Mission,  W.  L.  Reber. 

III.  Orwigsburg  District,  H.  Fisher,  presiding  elder.  Schuyl- 
kill Circuit,  M.  F.  Maize  and  R.  Deisher;  Lykens,  J.  Sensel  and 
F.  Scharf,  Mahantongo,  J.  G.  Bosch;  Pottsville  Station,  J.  P. 
Leib;  Pine  Grove,  F.  Krecker;  Carbon  Circuit,  C.  Hummel. 

IV.  Mohawk  District  (N.  Y. )  W.  Mintz,  presiding  elder. 
Jefferson  Circuit,  J.  Kehr;  Mohawk,  M.  Eis  and  J.  Eckert; 
Syracuse  Mission,  Samuel  Miesse ;  Lake  Circuit,  J.  Reigel  and 
P.  Miller;  Albany,  J.  G.  Marquardt. 

V.  Niagara  District,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder.  Dansville 
Circuit,  G.  Ramige;  Buffalo,  T.  Schneider;  Buffalo  Station,  S. 
Neitz ;  Black  Creek,  J.  Darei»h ;  Waterloo  Circuit,  D.  Fisher 
and  Jacob  Gross. 

1846.  West  Pa.  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  March  i8. 
P.  Wagoner,  president  pro  tern.  (Bishop  Seibert  arrived  later) 
J.  Boas,  secretary.  Located — G.  Shaffer,  J.  E.  Fulton,  N. 
ScHLOSSER,  J.  Bower,  H.  Thomas,  A.  Wolf  and  J.  Edgar. 
Newly  received  —  M.  J.  Carothers,  L.  D.  Brown,  S.  Wolf, 
J.  B.  Cox,  C.  Miller,  S.  W.  Seibert,  Abram  Young,  Charles 
Lindeman  and  D.  Kramer.    Ordained  elders — G.  Weirick  and 

D.  Rishel.     Deacons — J.  C.  Link,  George  Cupp,  E.  Kohr, 

E.  Stambach,  N.  Schlosser,  B.  Hess  and  P.  Smith.  J.  Truby 
removed  to  the  Ohio  Conference.  Moses  Bower  was  elected 
presiding  elder. 

Appointments :  I.  Baltimore  District,  Philip  Wagoner,  pre- 
siding elder.    Baltimore  Station,  W.  W.  Orwig ;   York  Circuit, 


278  EVANQELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


George  Brickly  and  E.  Stambach ;  York  Station,  J.  Boas ;  Get- 
tysburg Circuit,  L.  Hummelsheim  and  J.  B.  Cox ;  Washington, 
Circuit,  George  Weirich ;  Cumberland,  U.  Eberhart  and  Jere- 
miah Young ;  Strassburg,  George  Bellinger. 

I.  Susquehanna  District,  C.' Hammer,  presiding  elder.  Clin- 
ton, Circuit,  D.  Kehr;  Union,  D.  Rishel  and  Benjamin  Hess; 
Centre,  J.  M.  Sindlinger  and  Joseph  Dick ;  Lycoming,  L.  Eber- 
hart and  Abraham  Young;  Buffalo,  J.  Barber  and  D.  Kramer; 
Columbia,  J.  Dunlap,  S.  Wolf  and  S.  W.  Seibert ;  Perry,  E. 
Kohr  and  W.  Reeser. 

III.  Potomac  District,  M.  Bower,  presiding  elder.  Bedford 
Circuit,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert  and  M.  J.  Carothers;  Westmoreland, 
D.  N.  Long;    Somerset,  P.  Heiss  and  L.  D.  Brown;  Virginia, 

G.  Cupp  and  C.  Miller. 

IV.  Allegheny  District,  Alexander  Longsdorf,  presiding  elder. 
Indiana  Circuit,  J.  Rank  and  W.  Planett.     Pittsburg  Mission, 

H.  Rohland;  Clarion  Circuit,  D.  Sill  and  C.  Lindeman;  War- 
ren, J.  C.  Link ;  Venango  Circuit,  S.  McLehn  and  George  J. 
Foy. 

1846.  Ohio  Conference,  Thompson  township,  Seneca  county, 
O.,  May  13.  Bishop  Joseph  Long,  president;  H.  Niebel,  sec- 
retary. Located — Jacob  Kleinfelter,  F.  Mayer,  Jacob  Frey 
and  D.  Kern.  N.  Gehr  went  to  the  Illinois  Conference.  Or- 
dained elders — J.  Bernhart,  N.  Gehr,  P.W.  Hahn.  Deacons — 
George  F.  Spreng,  George  Haley,  George  KAAoand  F.  Frech. 
Newly  received — Josiah  Kanaga  and  Abraham  E.  Dreisbach. 

Appointments :  I.  Columbianna  District,  E.  Stoever,  pre- 
siding elder.  Harmony  Circuit,  J.  Lutz  ;  Erie,  Philip  Swilley ; 
Greenville,  Abraham  Niebel;  Columbianna,  P.W.  Hahn  and  C. 
Kabel ;  Canton,  P.  Wiest  and  J.  Nicolai ;  Bristol,  H.  Hassler 
and  J.  Honecker ;  Cleveland  Mission,  Joseph  Truby. 

II.  Mohickon  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Wayne 
Circuit,  F.  Frech  and  G.  F.  Behner;  Sandusky  Mission,  H. 
Niebel;  Sandusky  Circuit,  J.  Bernhart  and  George  Doll;  Lake, 
G.  F.  Spreng;  Wyandott,  A.Yambert  and  C.  Munk ;  Ann  Arbor 
Mission  (Mich.),  George  Kaag. 

III.  Scioto  District,  J.  J.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Mansfield 
Circuit,  John  Hall  and  J.  Kanaga;  Marion,  Abraham  Loehner; 
Lancaster,  P.  Getz  and  A.  E.  Dreisbach;  Miami,  George  Haley; 
Pickaway,  Levi  Heiss  and  F.  R.  Tobias ;  Dayton  Mission,  Jacob 
Burkett. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


279 


1846.  Illinois  Conference,  Germantown,  Ind.,  June  lo. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president ;  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  secretary.  Newly 
received  —  Samuel  Dickover  and  William  Ficht.  Ordained 
elder — G.  A.  Blank.  Deacons  —  G.  G.  Platz,  William  Kolp, 
S.  Tobias  and  George  Klepfer. 

Appointments :  I.  Indiana  District,  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  presid- 
ing elder.  Elkhart  Circuit,  C.  Glaus  and  W.  Ficht ;  White  Water, 
George  Platz;  Dubois,  P.  Bretch ;  Mt.  Carmel,  J.  G.  Miller  and 
Jacob  Trometer;  St.  Mary's  Mission,  William  Kolb. 

II.  Illinois  District,  S.  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder.  Des 
Plains  Circuit,  C.  Kopp  and  Samuel  Dickover;  Peoria,  Simon 
Tobias;  Cedar  Creek,  C.  Lintner;  Chicago  Mission,  C.  Augen- 
stein;  Iowa  Mission  (la.),  J.  J.  Esher;  Madison  Mission  (Wis.), 
Benjamin  Epply;  Racine  Mission  (Wis.),  George  A.  Blank; 
Milwaukee  Mission  (Wis.),  N.  Gehr. 

1847.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Evangelical  Church,  four  miles 
west  of  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  Feb.  23.  Bishop  Joseph  Long, 
president;  F.  Hoffman,  secretary.  Located — Philip  Miller. 
Superannuated — J.  P.  Leib.  Newly  received — L.  Jacoby,  J. 
Wagoner,  C.  Loos,  J.  Adams,  S.  Gaumer  and  Joseph  Gross. 
Ordained  elders — E.  Bast,  F.  Scharf,  T.  Schneider  and  W.  L. 
Reber.  Deacons — D.  Wieand  and  Joseph  Gross.  Canada 
District  was  formed.  A  stringent  anti-secret  society  resolution 
was  adopted,  and  recommended  to  the  coming  General  Confer- 
ence. William  Mintz  and  M.  Lehn  were  re-elected  and  Jacob 
Riegel  newly  elected  presiding  elders.  Twelve  delegates  and 
three  alternates  were  elected  to  attend  the  coming  General 
Conference. 

Appointments  :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  J.  M.  Saylor,  pre- 
siding elder.  New  York  City  Mission,  C.  Meyers ;  Philadelphia 
Station,  F.  Hoffman;  Germantown  Circuit,  E.  Bast  and  S.  Gau- 
mer; Northampton,  J.  C.  Farnsworth  and  Joseph  Gross;  Lehigh, 
J.  Kramer  and  D.  Wieand ;  Milford,  C.  Holl  and  C.  Loos. 

II.  Lebanon  District,  H.  Bucks,  presiding  elder.  Lebanon 
Circuit,  C.  Hummel  and  R.  Deisher;  Reading,  D.  Berger ;  Lan- 
caster, F.  Danner  and  J.  Koehl;  Lancaster  Mission,  J.  Eckert; 
Womelsdorf  Circuit,  A.  Shultz  and  M.  Sindlinger. 

.  III.  Orwigsburg  District,  H.  Fisher,  presiding  elder.  Orwigs- 
burg  Circuit,  W.  L.  Reber;  Schuylkill,  M.  F.  Maize;  Pottsville 
Station,  S.  Neitz ;  Lykens  Circuit,  J.  Sensel  and  W.  Heim ;  Pine 
Grove,  G.  T.  Haines  and  J.  Adams ;  Carbon,  F.  Krecker. 


880  EVANOELIOAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


IV.  Albany  District  (N.  Y. ),  Jacob  Riegel,  presiding  elder. 
Albany  Mission,  M.Lauer;  Mohawk  Circuit,  G.  Ramige  and  Jacob 
Gross;  Jefferson,  J.  Kehr;  Syracuse  Station,  J.  G.  Marquardt. 

V.  Buffalo  District  (N.Y),  W.  Mintz,  presiding  elder.  Buf- 
falo Station,  M.  Eis;  Buffalo  Circuit,  F.  Scharf  and  J.Wagoner; 
Dansville,  J.  Dareich ;  Lake,  S.  Miesse  and  L.  Jacoby. 

VI.  Canada  District  (Canada),  Michael  Lehn,  presiding 
elder.  Black  Creek  Circuit,  J.  G.  Bosch;  Waterloo,  D.  Fisher; 
Home,  T.  Schneider. 

1847.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Evangelical  Church,  North 
Middleton  township,  Cumberland  county,  Pa.,  March  17.  Bishop 
Long,  president;  C.  Hammer,  secretary.  Located — George 
Brickly,  S.  W.  Seibert,  George  Cupp  and  W.  Reeser.  Newly 
received — J.  Kreamer,  Levi  Kelly,  B.  Hengst,  W.  B.  Gregg, 
John  Bolton,  Elijah  Wilson,  Adam  Darby,  John  McCartney 
and  AziMA  Vallerchamp.  Ordained  elders — L.  Hummelsheim, 
P.  Heiss,  Daniel  Sill,  U.  Eberhart  and  John  Edgar.  Dea- 
cons— J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  Joseph  Dick,  G.  F.  Foy,  Wm.  Reeser, 
J.  M.  Young  and  Azima  Vallerchamp.  Moses  Bower,  presid- 
ing elder  of  Potomac  District,  and  Abraham  Young  died  during 
the  year.  Jacob  Boas  was  elected  presiding  elder.  An  anti- 
secret  society  resolution  was  adopted.  Delegates  were  elected 
for  the  coming  General  Conference. 

Appointments :  I.  Baltimore  District,  J.  Boas,  presiding 
elder.  Baltimore  Station,  W.  W.  Orwig ;  York  Circuit,  E.  Stam- 
bach  and  D.  Kreamer;  York  Station,  L.  Eberhart;  Gettysburg 
Circuit,  S.  McLehn  and  J.  M.Young;  Cumberland,  James  Dunlap; 
Franklin,  U.  Eberhart  and  W.  B.  Gregg;  Strassburgh,  George 
Dellinger;  Virginia,  D.  N.  Long  and  Charles  Miller. 

II.  Susquehanna  District,  Charles  Hammer,  presiding  elder. 
Union  Circuit,  H.  Rohland  and  J.  Kreamer;  Clinton,  D.  Kehr; 
Centre,  George  Weirick  and  B.  Hengst ;  Lycoming,  P.  Heiss 
and  Charles  Lindeman;  Buffalo,  J.  M.  Sindlinger  and  B.  Hess; 
Columbia,  E.  Kohr  and  J.  Bolton;  Perry,  L.  Hummelsheim  and 
S.  Wolf;  Mahantongo,  J.  Barber;  Cherry,  Joseph  Dick;  Luzerne 
Mission,  Azima  Vallerchamp. 

III.  Somerset  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Bedford 
Circuit,  J.  L.W.  Seibert  and  Adam  Darby  ;  Somerset,  J.  Rank,  M. 
J.  Carothers  and  L.  D.  Brown;  Pittsburg  Mission,  David  Rishel. 

IV.  Allegheny  District,  Alex.  Longsdorf,  presiding  elder. 
Indiana  Circuit,  J.  Edgar  and  I,.  Kelly;  Clarion,  Daniel  Sill 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


281 


and  supply  ;  Venango,  George  Foy  and  J.  McCartney ;  Warren, 
J.  C.  Link. 

1847.  Ohio  Conference,  Evangelical  Church,  at  Manches- 
ter, O.,  May  12.  Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  J.  G.  Zinzer, 
secretary.  Located  —  P.  Schwilly,  C.  Kabel,  George  Mat- 
TiNGER  and  P.  Hahn.  Re-entered  the  active  ministry — H. 
Longbrake,  L.  Einsel,  D.  Kern,  H.  Westhafer  and  Jacob 
Heiss.  Newly  received — C.  Koch,  John  Honnecker,  Reuben 
RiEGEL,  Isaiah  Miller,  J.  G.Wolpert  and  C.  Smith.  Ordained 
elder — Abraham  Loehner.  Deacons  — G.  F.  Behner,  C.  A. 
MuNK,  C.  Kabel,  Jacob  Honecker,  H.  McBride  and  Jacob 
Willeman.  E.  Stoever  and  J.  G.  Zinzer  were  re-elected  and 
H.  Longbrake  was  newly  elected  presiding  elder.  Fourteen 
delegates  and  three  alternates  were  elected  for  the  coming  Gen- 
eral Conference. 

Appointments :  I.  Columbianna  District,  H.  Longbrake, 
presiding  elder.  Canton  Circuit,  J.  Bernhart  and  J.  Honnecker; 
Erie  Mission,  Jacob  Burkett;  Columbianna,  Abraham  Niebel 
ami  C.  G.  Koch ;  Harmony,  P.  Wiest ;  Erie,  Joseph  Truby  and 
Isaiah  Miller. 

II.  Mohickon  District,  E.  Stoever,  presiding  elder.  Bristol 
Circuit,  F.  R.  Tobias  and  R.  Riegel ;  Wayne,  J.  Lutz  and  George 
Doll;  Mansfield,  A.  Loehner  and  A.  E.  Dreisbach;  Marion,  G. 
Behner  and  C.  Schmidt ;  Liverpool,  J.  Hall ;  Coshockton,  H. 
Hassler ;  Cleveland  Mission,  N.  Gehr. 

III.  Sandusky  District,  J.  J.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Lake 
Circuit,  G.  F.  Spreng ;  Wyandott,  G.  Haley  and  D.  Kern ;  San- 
dusky, A.  Yarabert  and  H.  Westhafer;  Sandusky  City  Mission, 
George  Kaag;  Miami  Mission,  J.  Nicolai ;  Ann  Arbor  (Mich.), 
Jacob  Honnecker;  St.  Joseph  Mission,  C.  Munk. 

IV.  Scioto  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Pickaway 
Circuit,  F.  Freeh  and  J.  Kanaga;  Lancaster,  L.  Einsel  and  J. 
G.  Wolpert;  Miami,  P.  Getz;  Dayton  Mission,  L.  Heiss. 

1847.  Illinois  Conference,  Naperville,  111.,  June  9.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  C.  Kopp,  secretary.  Located — Jacob 
Trometer.  Newly  received  —  F.  Weithaupt,  H.  Eiterman, 
George  Messner  and  H.  Weldv.  Ordained  elders — C.  Kopp, 
C.  Glaus,  J.  G.  Miller  and  S.  Tobias.  Deacons — J.  J.  Esher, 
P.  Bretch,  C.  Ebinger  and  Samuel  Rickert.  Samuel  Baum- 
gardner  was  re-elected  and  C.  Kopp  newly  elected  presiding 


282  EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


elder.  Seven  delegates  and  three  alternates  were  elected  to  attend 
the  coming  General  Conference. 

Appointments  :  I.  Indiana  District,  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  presid- 
ing elder.  White  Water  Circuit,  C.  Glaus;  Elkhart,  G.  G.  Platz, 
F.  Weithaupt  and  H.  Weldy ;  Dubois,  A.  Nicolai ;  Mt.  Carmel, 
W.  F.  Ficht;  De  Kalb  Mission,  P.  Bretch;  St.  Mary's  Mission, 
S.  Dickover. 

II.  Peoria  District,  C.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Sandusky 
Circuit,  Simon  Tobias  ;  Centre  Creek,  Jacob  Kemmerling;  Wash- 
ington, William  Kolb  and  H.  Eiterman ;  Galena,  Benjamin  Epply; 
Iowa  Mission,  J.  J.  Esher. 

III.  Madison  District,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder. 
Racine  Circuit,  C.  Lintner;  Chicago  Station,  G.  A.  Blank;  Des 
Plains  Circuit,  C.  Augenstein  and  George  Messner;  Jefferson 
Mission,  M.  Hauert;  Milwaukee  Mission,  J.  G.  Miller. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Ninth  General  Conference,  Held  at  New  Berlin,  Pa., 
Sept.  29,  1847. 

1847.  General  Conference,  ninth  session,  New  Berlin,  Pa., 
Sept.  29.    Both  bishops  and  forty-five  delegates  were  present. 

Recommendations  from  the  annual  conferences  were  consid- 
ered. On  motion  of  J.  Boas  it  was  resolved  that  it  shall  be  the 
duty  of  class  leaders  to  hold  class  meetings,  at  least  every  four 
weeks,  in  their  respective  classes.  On  recommendation  of  the 
West  Pa.  Conference  it  was  resolved  that  hereafter  any  conference 
may  keep  the  money  from  the  various  fields  of  labor  indepeadent 
of  each  other.  The  former  committee  appointed  to  combine  the 
two  German  hymn  books  into  one  was  excused  for  the  non- 
performance of  their  work,  and  it  was  resolved  that  the  Saitenspiel 
and  Viole  shall  remain  separate  books,  and  a  new  and  improved 
edition  of  each  be  published.  An  anti-secret  society  resolution 
was  discussed  at  length,  but  not  adopted,  because  not  brought 
before  that  body  in  accordance  with  the.  Discipline.  A  resolu- 
tion offered  by  John  Dreisbach  was  adopted,  to  the  effect  that 
a  seminary  shall  be  established  for  the  Church,  provided  the 
members  of  the  Church  favor  it.  All  preachers  in  charge  shall, 
during  the  coming  year,  bring  the  matter  before  the  various 
societies,  and  a  vote  shall  be  taken  on  the  same.  In  case  the 
result  is  favorable,  each  conference  shall  elect  a  director  for  the 
purpose  of  carrying  out  the  project.*  The  work  in  New  York 
(New  York  City  excepted)  and  Canada  was  constituted  New 
York  Conference.  The  Evangelical  Messenger  was  ordered  to 
be  published  as  soon  as  800  subscribers  are  secured.  Nich- 
olas Gehr,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  was  elected  editor  of  the 


*The  vote  resulted  "against  "  the  school. 


284 


EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Botschafter,  with  William  Bersch  as  assistant.  Henry  Fisher, 
of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  was  elected  book  agent.  The  salary 
of  the  editor  and  publisher  was  fixed  at  $225  per  annum,  with  an 
addition  of  $15  for  every  child  under  fourteen  years  of  age. 
Bishops  J.  Seybert  and  Joseph  Long  were  re-elected.  A  reso- 
lution was  passed  directing  preachers  in  charge  to  establish 
Sunday-schools  wherever  practicable.  On  motion  of  John  Dreis- 
BACii  it  was  resolved  that  any  conference  had  the  privilege  granted 
of  organizing  an  English  conference  as  soon  as  twenty  English 
members  desired  it,  and  that  such  conferences  should  draw  their 
share  of  the  proceeds  of  the  Charitable  Society  and  book  estab- 
lishment equal  to  the  other  conferences.  The  assets  of  the  book 
establishmentwere^24, 795,47)^;  indebtedness, none.  Preachers, 
319;  members,  14,871. 

Following  are  the  names  of  the  delegates :  East  Pa.  Confer- 
ence— W.MiNTZ,  H.  Bucks,  H.  Fisher,  Jacob  Reigel,  M.  Lehn, 
J.  M.  Saylor,  F.  Danner,  F.  Hoffman,  J.  Kehr,  M.  Eis,  D. 
Fisher  and  J.  P.  Leib;  alternates,  C.  Hummel,  F.  KRECKERand 
J.  Kreamer.  West  Pa.  Conference — P.Wagoner,  C.  Hammer, 
A.  Ettinger,  W.  W.  Orwig,  J.  Boas,  George  Brickly,  J.  C. 
Reisner,  James  Dunlap,  J.  M.  Sindlinger,  Alexander  Longs- 
dorf,  H.  Rohland  and  D.  N.  Long;  alternates,  J.  Barber,  U. 
Eberhart  and  D.  Kehr.  Ohio  Conference — J.  G.  Zinzer,  E. 
Stoever,  J.  J.  Kopp,  Abraham  Niebel,  L.  Einsel,  A.  Yambert,. 
J.  Erb,  a.  Kleinfelter,  John  Dreisbach,  Abraham  Loehner, 
J.  Bernhart  and  P.  Wiest  ;  alternates,  J.  Nicolai,  J.  Hall  and 
J.  Burkett.  Illinois  Conference  —  S.  Baumgardner,  A.  B. 
Schaeffer,  C.  Kopp,  C.  Augenstein,  G.  A.  Blank,  C.  Lintner 
and  J.  G.  Miller  ;  alternates,  M.  Hauert,  S.  Tobias,  C.  Glaus. 

The  subject  of  secret  or  oath-bound  societies  had  agitated 
the  Church  for  a  number  of  years,  and  the  prevailing  sentiment 
was  strongly  against  them.  Both  the  East  and  West  Pa.  Confer- 
ences passed  resolutions  of  disapproval  of  such  societies,  and  the 
matter  was  brought  before  the  General  Conference  for  action. 
After  much  discussion  an  anti-secret  society  resolution  prevailed. 
After  its  passage,  however,  questions  of  expediency  and  consti- 
tutionality led  to  its  reconsideration. 

The  work  of  the  Church  advanced  encouragingly  this  year. 
In  Ohio  a  new  district  called  Sandusky  was  formed.  St.  Joseph,. 
Mich.,  was  made  a  mission.  In  Illinois  Peoria  and  Madison 
Districts  were  formed,  the  latter  situated  mostly  in  Wisconsin. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


285 


1848.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Allentown,  Pa.,  Feb.  23.  Bishop 
J.  Seyuert,  president;  P".  Banner,  secretary.  Located — J. 
Kreamer,  C.  Holl,  Samuel  Miesse,  G.  Ramige  and  Jacob 
RiEGEL.  Died  —  Charles  Bisse  and  Emanuel  Dieder.  F. 
Hoffman  and  J.  P.  Leib  were  elected  presiding  elders.  Ordained 
elders — J.  G.  Bosch,  J.  Eckert,  A.  Shultz,  J.  G.  Marquardt, 
and  M.  Lauer.  Deacons — J.  Koehl,  S.  Gaumer,  Jacob  Gross 
and  J.  Adams.  Newly  received — N.  McLehn,  John  Schell,  D. 
Hambright  and  I.  Hess. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  rules  for  making  the 
salaries  of  the  preachers  independent  of  each  other.  Following 
is  a  summary:  (i)  The  annual  appointment  of  a  committee  to 
investigate  the  claims  of  superannuated  preachers  and  preachers' 
widows  and  orphans,  and  apportion  their  claims  from  the  inter- 
est of  the  Custer  fund  and  Charitable  Society.  (2)  When  two 
preachers  serve  together  they  shall  divide  the  salary  according 
to  their  disciplinary  claims,  the  surplus,  if  any,  to  be  paid  the 
presiding  elder.  (3)  The  presiding  elder  shall  have  all  the  col- 
lections taken  at  the  quarterly  meetings,  and  one-half  of  the 
■camp-meeting  collections.  (4)  If  he  receives  more  than  the 
average  amount  of  salary  received  by  preachers  on  his  district 
entitled  to  the  highest  salary,  he  shall  pay  the  surplus  into  the 
conference  fund.  (5)  The  bishop  shall  take  up  collections  at 
all  his  appointments.  If  he  receives  more  than  his  allowance, 
he  shall  pay  the  surplus  into  the  conference  fund.  He  shall 
make  up  his  deficits  the  same  way  as  the  presiding  elders.  (6)  The 
balance  in  the  conference  treasury  shall  be  used  to  make  up  defi- 
■ciencies  in  salary. 

Appointments  :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  F.  Hoffman,  presid- 
ing elder.  Philadelphia  Station,  S.  Neitz ;  Germantown  Circuit, 
D.  Wieand  and  J.  Schell ;  Northampton,  M.  Sindlinger  and  I. 
Hess;  Lehigh,  H.  Bucks  and  M.  McLehn;  New  York  Station, 
D.  Berger;  Milford  Circuit,  J.  C.  Reisner  and  C.  Loos. 

II.  Lebanon  District,  J.  P.  Leib,  presiding  elder.  Lebanon 
Circuit,  C.  Hummel  and  R.  Deisher ;  Lancaster,  A.  Shultz  and 
D.  Hambright ;  Lancaster  Mission,  F.  Danner ;  Womelsdorf  Cir- 
cuit, C.  Meyers  and  Joseph  Gross  ;  Reading  Station,  W.  Heim ; 
Dauphin  Circuit,  J.  Sensel. 

III.  Orwigsburg  District,  J.  M.  Saylor,  presiding  elder. 
Orwigsburg  Circuit,  G.  T.  Haines ;  Schuylkill,  E.  Bast ;  Potts- 
•ville  Station,  M.  F.  Maize;  Carbon  Circuit,  F.  Krecker;  Pine 


286 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Grove,  J.  Farnsworth  and  J.  Adams ;  Lykens,  W.  L.  Reber  and 
J.  Koehl. 

New  York  Conference.  I.  Buffalo  District,  W.  Mintz,  pre- 
siding elder.  Buffalo  Circuit,  F.  Scharf  and  L.  Jacoby;  Buffalo 
Station,  M.  Eis ;  Lake  Circuit,  D.  Fisher  and  S.  Gaumer;  Dans- 
ville,  not  supplied. 

II.  Mohawk  District,  Jacob  Kehr,  presiding  elder.  Mohawk 
Circuit,  J.  G.  Bosch ;  Jefferson,  J.  Dareich  ;  Syracuse  Station, 
J.  G.  Marquardt;  Albany  Mission,  M.  Lauer. 

III.  Canada  District,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder.  Black  Creek 
Circuit,  Jacob  Gross ;  Waterloo,  T.  Schneider  and  J.  Wagoner ; 
Home,  to  be  supplied. 

1848.  WestPa. Conference, Milheim, Pa., March  15.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  W.  W.  Orwig,  secretary.  Located  — 
George  Cupp,  Benjamin  Hess  and  A.  D.a.rby.  David  Rishel, 
missionary  at  Pittsburg,  died  during  the  year.  Newly  received — 
Abraham  Kraus,  Michael  Zulauf,  George  Hunter  and  Jacob 
Weikel.  Ordained  elders — J.  C.  Link,  E.  KoHRand  B.  Hess. 
Deacons  —  S.  Wolf,  C.  Lindeman,  M.  J.  Carothers,  L.  D. 
Brown,  C.  Miller,  John  McCartney  and  John  Bolton.  Geo. 
Weirick  was  elected  presiding  elder.  A  committee  was  appointed 
to  formulate  rules  for  making  the  districts  and  all  the  charges 
independent  of  each  other  in  their  finances.  The  organization 
of  an  English  conference  was  deferred.  A  new  mission  was 
located  in  Baltimore. 

Appointments :  I.  Baltimore  District,  J.  Boas,  presiding 
elder.  Baltimore  Station,  Charles  Hammer;  York  Circuit,  H. 
Rohland  and  D.  Kreamer;  York  Station,  L.  Eberhart ;  Gettys- 
burg Circuit,  J.  M.  Young  and  L.  Kelly ;  Franklin,  G.  Foy  and 
supply ;  Cumberland,  J.  Dunlap  and  P.  Heiss ;  Virginia,  W.  B. 
Gregg  and  George  Hunter ;  Strassburgh,LT.  Eberhart;  Baltimore 
Mission,  W.  W.  Orwig. 

II.  Susquehanna  District,  Philip  Wagoner,  presiding  elder. 
Union  Circuit,  D.  Kehr  and  J.  Barber;  Centre,  E.  Stambach  and 
B.  Hengst ;  Clinton,  Charles  Lindeman  and  J.  Kreamer  ;  Lycom- 
ing, A.  Longsdorf;  Buffalo,  J.  M.  Sindlinger  and  M.  Zulauf; 
Columbia,  E.  Kohr  and  A.  Vallerchamp ;  Tuscarora  Mission, 
L.  Hummelsheim ;  Muncy,  J.  Bolton  and  A.  Kraus ;  Perry,  M. 
J.  Carothers  and  S.  McLehn. 

III.  Allegheny  District,  George  Weirick,  presiding  elder. 
Bedford  Circuit,  S.  Wolf  and  C.  Miller ;  Somerset,  J.  Rank  and 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


287 


J.  L.  W.  Seibert ;  Clarion,  George  Bellinger  and  L.  D.  Brown ; 
Indiana,  J.  D.  McCartney;  Venango,  Joseph  Dick  and  Jacob 
VVeikel ;  Warren,  J.  Edgar ;  Pittsburg  Mission,  J.  C.  Link. 

1848.  Ohio  Conference,  Milton,  O.,  May  lo.  Bishop  J. 
Long,  president;  J.G.  Zinzer,  secretary.  Located — L.  Einsel. 
Superannuated — H.  Niebel.  Newly  received — Peter  Pontius. 
Again  received  —  D.  Swartz,  Joseph  Ebert,  J.G.  Stirm  and 
J.  McQuiLLEN.  Ordained  elders  —  F.  Frech,  G.  F.  Spreng, 
George  Kaag  and  George  Haley.  Deacons — Josiah  Kanaga, 
George  Doll,  A.  E.  Dreisbach  and  W.  Bernhart.  J.  J.  Kopp 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  Abraham  Niebel  was 
newly  elected.  Died  during  the  year — Isaiah  Miller,  James 
Steel  and  Conrad  Herr. 

Appointments  :  I.  Columbianna  District,  Abraham  Niebel, 
presiding  elder.  Harmony  Circuit,  Joseph  Truby ;  Canton,  J.  J. 
Kopp  and  H.Westhafer ;  Greenville,  J.  Bernhart;  Columbianna, 
C.  G.  Koch  and  P.  Pontius ;  Erie,  Jacob  Burkitt. 

II.  Mohickon  District,  E.  Stoever,  presiding  elder.  Cleve- 
land Mission,  A.  Nicolai ;  Bristol  Circuit,  P.  Wiest  and  Joseph 
Ebert ;  Wayne,  D.  Swartz  and  R.  Riegel ;  Mansfield,  A.  Loehner 
and  Charles  Smith  ;  Liverpool,  John  Hall ;  Marion,  A.  E.  Dreis- 
bach and  J.  Honnecker ;  Coshockton,  J.  Lutz. 

III.  Sandusky  District,  H.  Longbrake,  presiding  elder.  Lake 
Circuit,  G.  F.  Behner;  Wyandott,  G.  Haley  and  J.  McQuillen; 
Sandusky  City  Station,  George  Kaag ;  Sandusky  Circuit,  A. 
Yambert  and  G.  Stirm  ;  Maumee,  C.  Munk  ;  Ann  Arbor  Mission, 
Jacob  Honnecker ;  St.  Joseph  Mission,  George  Doll. 

IV.  Scioto  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Pickaway 
Circuit,  Josiah  Kanaga  and  J.  G.  Wolpert;  Lancaster,  F.  Frech 
and  D.  Kern;  Miami,  P.  Getz;  Dayton  Mission,  G.  F.  Spreng. 

1848.  Illinois  Conference,  Emanuel's  Church,  Cook  county, 
111.,  June  14.  Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  president;  A.  B.  Schaeffer, 
secretary.  Located — Jacob  Kemmerling  and  William  Ficht. 
C.  HoLL,  Joseph  Harlacher,  Jacob  Heiss  and  F.  D.  Loy  were 
received  into  the  conference.  Newly  received — B.  Uphaus, 
Henry  Esch,  J.  Riegel,  G.  Esher  and  H.  Ragatz.  Ordained 
elders — G.  G.  Platz,  S.  Tobias  and  William  Kolb.  Deacon — 
Samuel  Dickover.  A.  B.  Schaeffer  was  re-elected  and  C. 
Augenstein  newly  elected  presiding  elder.  Indiana  District  was 
divided  and  formed  into  St.  Joseph  and  Wabash  Districts.  A 


288  EVNGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


vote  of  thanks  was  tendered  Bishop  Long  for  the  gift  of  ten 
grammars  for  the  use  of  the  conference. 

Appointments  :  I.  Wabash  District,  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  presid- 
ing elder.  White  Water  Circuit,  George  A.  Blank;  Dubois,  A. 
Nicolai  and  H.  Esch ;  Mt.  Carmel,  C.  Glaus;  Vandalia,  to  be 
supplied. 

II.  St.  Joseph  District,  C.  Augenstein,  presiding  elder.  St. 
Mary's  Mission,  F.  Weithaupt ;  Elkhart  Circuit,  S.  Dickover  and 
B.  Uphaus;  DeKalb  Mission,  H.  Eiterman. 

III.  Peoria  District,  C.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Hampton 
Circuit,  C.  Lintner;  Washington,  W.  Kolb  and  J.  Riegel;  Iowa 
Mission,  Benjamin  Epply;  Cedar  Creek  Circuit,  S.  Tobias  and 
George  Messner. 

IV.  Madison  District,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder. 
Des  Plains  Circuit,  C.  Holl,  H.  Welty  and  Henry  Ragatz  ;  Racine, 
Philip  Bretch  and  George  Esher;  Chicago  Station,  G.  G.  Platz ; 
Milwaukee  Mission,  J.  J-  Esher;  West  Bend  Mission,  Joseph 
Harlacher ;  Jefferson  Mission,  J.  G.  Miller ;  Sauk  Mission,  M. 
Hauert. 

The  great  event  of  this  year  was  the  appearance  of  the  long- 
looked-for  English  paper,  The  Evangelecal  Messenger.  The  first 
number  was  sent  out  Jan.  8,  1848,  and  created  great  enthusiasm 
among  the  English-speaking  people  of  the  Church.  An  abiding 
proof  of  its  timely  and  welcome  appearance  is  furnished  by  a 
perusal  of  the  paper  itself.  Even  the  old  German  fathers,  some 
of  them  companions  of  Albright,  "brushed  up"  their  English, 
and  made  their  appearance  in  the  Messenger  as  correspondents. 
We  give  the  following  extracts  from  the  correspondence  of  "One- 
simus"  in  the  fourth  and  fifth  numbers: 

"The  Messenger  has  paid  us  its  first  visit,  and  has  in  our 
region  received  a  cordial  welcome.  From  the  character  of  its 
name  we  had  reason  to  expect  a  plain-dealing,  Gospel  teacher, 
and  we  have  not  as  yet  been  disappointed.  We  look  for  intelli- 
gence, the  most  useful,  important  and  interesting,  at  each  suc- 
cessive visitation.  It  is  our  best  friend,  as  it  tells  us  of  ou-r 
faults,  teaches  us  how  to  reform  and  points  out  to  us  the  advantage 
of  such  a  course.  *  *  *  The  Messenger  will  undoubtedly  be 
the  unflinching  advocate  of  true  Evangelical  preaching — Christ 
and  Him  crucified,  repentance  toward  God,  faith  in  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  deep,  practical  piety.  *  *  *  We  expect  the 
Messenger  will  at  proper  times  and  in  proper  places  oppose  the 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


980 


corruptions  of  the  age  in  which  we  live.  *  *  *  We  trust  that 
no  organization,  deleterious  to  the  true  interests  of  the  Gospel, 
will  receive  any  sanction  from  this  periodical ;  but  that  the 
unfruitful  works  of  darkness  will  be  reproved,  and  the  light  of 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  allowed  to  shine  in  every  comer  of  the 
land,  and  to  every  department  of  society,  as  a  guide  to  the  young, 
an  instructor  of  the  ignorant,  and  a  help  to  the  benighted  and 
wayward  traveler." 

1 849.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Reading,  Pa. ,  March  7 .  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  F.  Danner,  secretary.  S.  Neitz  received 
permission  to  rest  one  year.  J.  Schnerr  died  during  the  session. 
M,  SiNDLiNGER  and  D.  Wieand  were  ordained  elders,  and  C. 
Loos,  deacon.  Licensed  to  preach — Frederick  L.  Stoever, 
H.  Kletzinger  and  George  Knerr.  Harrisburg  and  Taraaqua 
were  constituted  missions. 

Appointments  :  I.  Philadelphia  District,  F.  Hoffman,  pre- 
siding elder.  Philadelphia  Station,  C.  Hummel ;  Germantown 
Circuit,  F.  Krecker  and  F.  L.  Stoever ;  Milford,  W.  L.  Reber 
and  N.  McLehn;  Lehigh,  H.  Bucks  and  J.  Eckert;  Northamp- 
ton, D.  Wieand  and  I.  Hess ;  New  York  City,  C.  Loos. 

II.  Lebanon  District,  J.  P.  Leib,  presiding  elder.  Lebanon 
Circuit,  W.  Heim  and  J.  Adams ;  Lancaster,  Joseph  Gross  and 
J.  Schell;  Lancaster  Mission,  D,  Berger;  Womelsdorf  Circuit, 
J.  Sensel  and  F.  Danner ;  Chester,  D.  Hambright ;  Reading  Sta- 
tion, C.  Meyers ;  Harrisburg  Mission,  J.  C.  Farnsworth. 

III.  Orwigsburg  District,  J.  M.  Saylor,  presiding  elder. 
Orwigsburg  Circuit,  G.  T.  Haines;  Schuylkill,  E.  Bast;  Potts- 
ville  Station,  M.  F.  Maize  ;  Carbon  Circuit,  M.  Sindlinger ;  Pine 
Grove,  to  be  supplied ;  Lykens,  J.  Koehl  and  S.  Gaumer ;  Mahan- 
tongo,  A.  Shultz  and  Jacob  Gross ;  Tamaqua  Mission,  D.  Shultz. 

1849.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Loganville,  Pa.,  March  14. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  W.  W.  Orwig,  secretary.  Received 
into  the  itinerancy — A.  Wolf,  D.  N.  Long,  J.  McKesson,  Wm. 
Bressler  and  J.  Bishop.  Ordained  elders — J.  M.  Young,  A. 
Vallerchamp,  E.  Stambach  and  Joseph  Dick.  Deacons — D. 
Kreamer,  J.  Kreamer,  W.  B.  Gregg,  L.  D.  Brown  and  B. 
Hengst.  George  Weirick  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder 
and  the  following  were  elected :  P.  Wagoner,  A.  Longsdorf, 
J.  DuNLAP  and  U.  Eberhart.  Two  new  presiding  elder  districts 
(Centre  and  Somerset)  were  formed.  A  committee  was  appointed 
to  devise  a  plan  for  the  formation  of  a  Sunday-school  union,  and 


290  E  VANOELICAL  AS80GIA  TION  ANNALS. 


report  at  the  next  annual  session,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  the 
matter  before  the  next  General  Conference. 

Appointments :  I.  Baltimore  District,  J.  Boas,  presiding 
elder.  Baltimore  Station,  C.  Hammer ;  Baltimore  Mission,  W. 
W.  Orwig;  Strassburgh  Circuit,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert  and  P.  Heiss; 
York,  George  Weirick ;  York  Station,  H.  Rohland ;  Cumberland 
Circuit,  L.  Eberhart;  Gettysburg,  D.  Kreamer  and  George  Hun- 
ter; Franklin,  G.  J.  Foy  and  Levi  Kelly. 

II.  Susquehanna  District,  James  Dunlap,  presiding  elder. 
Cherry  Circuit,  A.Vallerchamp;  Buffalo,  E.  Kohr  and  Benjamin 
Hengst ;  Perry,  M.  J.  Carothers  and  J.  Kreamer ;  Columbia,  J. 
M.  Young,  W.  Bressler  and  John  McKesson. 

III.  Centre  District,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder.  Centre 
Circuit,  D.  Kehr  and  C.  Lindeman ;  Clinton,  E.  Stambach ; 
Union,  A.  Wolf  and  Michael  Zulauf ;  Lycoming,  J.  M.  Sindlinger 
and  Simon  Wolf. 

IV.  Allegheny  District,  A.  Longsdorf,  presiding  elder.  Pitts- 
burg Mission,  J.  C.  Link ;  Clarion  Circuit,  G.  Dellinger  and 
Jacob  Weikel ;  Venango,  G.  Cupp  and  L.  D.  Brown ;  Warren, 
Joseph  Dick. 

V.  Somerset  District,  U.  Eberhart,  presiding  elder.  Somer- 
set Circuit,  D.  Sill  and  J.  Bolton  ;  Indiana,  Jacob  Rank ;  Bedford, 
D.  N.  Long  and  J.  Bishop;  Shenandoah  (Va. ),  W.  B.  Gregg; 
Morgan  (Va. ),  Charles  Miller. 

1849.  Ohio  Conference,  Emanuel's  Church,  Walnut  town- 
ship, Pickaway  county,  O. ,  May  1 6.  Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  president ; 
J.  G.  ZiNZER,  secretary.  Located — Joseph  Truby,  D.  Kern  and 
H.  Westhafer.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — J.  G.  Kissei,, 
H,  Downy,  C.  Haldeman,  Daniel  Brickly,  George  Schott, 
Philip  Swartz  and  Jacob  Fisher.  Ordained  elders — Jacob 
Honnecker  and  G.  Behner.  Deacons — C.  G.  Koch,  John 
Honnecker,  J.  G.  WoLPERT,  Reuben  Riegel  and  John  Rade- 
bach.  E.  Stoever  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  J. 
J.  Kopp  was  elected.  Peter  Getz  went  to  the  Illinois  Conference. 
A  committee  was  appointed  to  devise  a  plan  for  making  salaries 
independent  of  each  other,  and  report  at  the  next  annual  session. 

Appointments  :  I.  Columbianna  District,  Abraham  Niebel, 
presiding  elder.  Columbianna  Circuit,  J.  Bernhart  and  R.  Riegel ; 
Erie,  J.  Nicolai ;  Greenville,  J.  Burkett ;  Harmony,  Jacob  Hoa- 
necker ;  Canton,  Abraham  Loehner  and  Jacob  Fisher. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


291 


II.  Mohickon  District,  J.  J.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Bristol 
Circuit,  P.  Wiest  and  J.  G.  Kissel ;  Wayne,  Daniel  Brickly  and 
(leorge  Schott;  Mansfield,  A.  Yambert  and  Philip  Swartz  ;  Liv- 
erpool, J.  Lutz ;  Cleveland  Mission,  C.  G.  Koch. 

III.  Sandusky  District,  H.Longbrake,  presiding  elder.  Lake 
Circuit,  G.  Behner;  Wyandott,  G.  Kaag  and  J.  G.  Stirm;  San- 
dusky, George  Haley  and  C.  Smith  ;  Maumee,C.  Munk;  Sandusky 
City  Station,  J.  Hall;  Ann  Arbor  Mission,  J.  Honnecker;  St. 
Joseph  Mission,  George  Doll. 

IV.  Scioto  District,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  presiding  elder.  Lancaster 
Circuit,  J.  Kanaga  and  C.  Haldeman ;  Pickaway,  A.  E.  Dreisbach 
and  H.  Downy ;  Miami,  J.  G.  Wolpert ;  Dayton  Mission,  G. 
F.  Spreng. 

1849.  Illinois  Conference,  Naperville,  111.,  June  20.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  J.  J.  Esher,  secretary.  J.  P.  Kramer, 
of  the  East  Pa.,  and  P.  Getz,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  were  re- 
ceived into  this  conference,  and  Jacob  Keiser  and  C.  A.  Schnake 
were  newly  received.  J.  G.  Miller  and  Philip  Bretch,  located. 
Ordained  elders — J.  J.  Esher,  A.  Nicolai  and  Philip  Bretch. 
Deacons — George  Messner,  H.  Eiterman,  F.Weithaupt  and 
H.  Weldy.  Christian  Augenstein  resigned  the  office  of  pre- 
siding elder,  and  St.  Joseph  District  was  discontinued.  Peoria, 
Galena  and  Sheboygan  Missions  were  formed. 

Appointments:  I.  Wabash  District,  A.  B.  Schaffer,  presid- 
ing elder.  White  Water  Circuit,  Henry  Ragatz;  Dubois  Mis- 
sion, Ch.  Glaus  and  J.  Keiser;  Mt.  Carmel  Circuit,  S.  Dickover; 
Elkhart,  G.  G.  Platz,  G.  Messner  and  B.  Uphaus;  Marshall, 
A.  Nicolai ;  St.  Mary's  Mission,  P.  Getz  ;  De  Kalb,  F.Weithaupt. 

II.  Peoria  District,  Ch.  Kopp,  presiding  elder.  Washington 
Circuit,  H.  Eiterman  ;  Florid,  M.  Hauert  and  H.  Weldy  ;  Cedar 
Creek,  G.  A.  Blank  and  H.  Esch ;  Peoria  Mission,  Ch.  Augen- 
stein; Galena,  J.  P.  Kramer;  Iowa,  to  be  supplied. 

III.  Madison  District,  Samuel  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder. 
Naperville  Circuit,  S.  A.  Tobias  and  C.  A.  Schnake  ;  Des  Plaines, 
John  Riegel;  Chicago,  Ch.  Holl ;  Racine,  Benjamin  Epply  and 
George  Esher;  Sauk  Mission,  Ch.  Lintner;  Jefferson,  William 
Kolb;  Sheboygan,  Joseph  Harlacher;  Milwaukee,  J.  J.  Esher, 

1849.  New  York  Conference,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  April  25. 
Bishop  Joseph  Long,  prerident ;  W.  Mintz,  secretary.  Received 
into  the  itinerancy — William  Schmidt,  Solomon  Weber,  Frantz 
Herlan  and  Philip  Miller.    Ordained  deacons — Jacob  Wag- 


293  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


ONER,  Levi  Jacoey,  Solomon  Weber,  Jacob  Bastian,  Henry 
Sauer  and  Franz  Herlan.  Membership,  1,837.  Single  salary, 
^62.52. 

Appointments:  I.  Albany  District,  Jocob  Kehr,  presiding 
elder.  Albany  Mission,  Jacob  Wagoner ;  Syracuse  Station,  M. 
Lauer;  Mohawk  Circuit,  John  Bosch. 

II.  Buffalo  District,  Wm.  Mintz,  presiding  elder.  Buffalo, 
D.  Fisher;  Buffalo  Circuit,  M.  Eis  and  Philip  Miller;  Lake, 
Levi  Jacoby;  Dansville,  F.  Herlan;  Rochester  Mission,  J.  G. 
Marquardt. 

III.  Canada  District,  Michael  Lehn,  presiding  elder.  Water- 
loo Circuit,  Theobald  Schneider  and  William  Schmidt;  Black 
Creek,  F.  Scharf ;  Home,  Solomon  Weber. 

THIRD  PERIOD. 

The  year  1850  marks  the  semi-centennial  of  the  Evangelical 
Association,  and  it  would  be  strange  indeed  if  the  Church  did 
not  in  some  way  demonstrate  her  appreciation  of  such  an  event. 
We  accordingly  find  her  all  aglow  with  sentiments  and  projects 
befitting  the  consummation  of  such  an  interesting  event,  and  her 
literature  of  this  year  not  only  voices  sentiments  of  gratitude  to 
God  for  his  mercy  and  superintending  care  over  her  during  the 
first  half  century  of  her  existence,  but  also  tells  of  her  noble 
achievements  in  the  various  lines  of  Christian  activity,  her  ample 
justification  of  her  existence,  and  her  worthiness  to  take  her 
place  among  the  denominations  of  the  world  as  a  factor  in  the 
evangelization  of  the  human  race. 

In  the  first  issues  of  the  German  and  English  periodicals  of 
the  Church  for  this  year,  the  editors  review  the  remarkable  de- 
velopment of  the  society  from  her  beginning,  and  offer  sugges- 
tions as  to  the  most  appropriate  way  of  giving  expression  to  her 
gratitude  for  the  prosperity  that  has  marked  her  history.  We 
give  the  following  extract  from  an  editorial  in  the  Evangelical 
Messenger,  of  Jan.  8th,  as  sounding  the  keynote  for  the  future  of 
the  Church : 

"Considering  the  unassuming  and  apparently  feeble  instru- 
ment employed  in  establishing  this  branch  of  the  Christian 
Church,  the  small  and  unpromising  beginning  of  it,  together  with 
the  opposition,  contempt,  and  reproach  it  had  to  endure,  espe- 
cially during  the  first  half  of  its  existence,  no  unprejudiced 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


Christian  can  justly  accuse  us  of  arrogance  and  undue  enthu- 
siasm, if  we  declare  the  founding,  extension,  and  prosperity  of 
the  Evangelical  Association  as  ihe  work  of  God,  and  as  marvel- 
ous in  our  eyes,  and  exclaim,  '  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things 
for  us,  whereof  we  are  glad' !  Or,  if  we  at  the  close  of  the  first 
half  century  of  the  existence  of  our  ecclesiastical  community, 
with  one  of  the  ancient  servants  of  God,  raise  an  Ebenezer,  say- 
ing, 'Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped  us'/  Have  we  not  abundant 
cause  to  rejoice,  and  in  the  depth  of  humility  to  praise  the  Lord 
for  His  great  mercy  and  faithfulness  toward  us,  and  His  fatherly 
protection  and  guidance  to  the  present  day?  What  shall  we 
render  unto  the  Lord  for  all  His  benefits  toward  us?  Let  us 
take  the  cup  of  salvation,  and  proclaim  the  glory,  and  the  name 
of  the  Lord,  and  pay  our  vows  to  Him  in  the  presence  of  all  His 
people ! 

"Oh  !  how  great  our  obligations  to  Him  !  Should  we  not  at 
this  important  era  of  our  Church,  bring  an  especial  thank-offering, 
and  celebrate  a  jubilee  to  the  Most  High — our,  and  our  father's 
God  and  helper !  This  appears  to  us  to  be  the  duty  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Evangelical  Association,  who  have  lived  to  see  the 
close  of  its  first  half  century,  to  evince  their  obligation  to  Him, 
and  their  grateful  acknowledgement  of  His  gracious  providence, 
guidance  and  protection,  by  a  practical  matter-of-fact  monu- 
ment, through  the  observance  of  a  general  thanksgiving  day  at  a 
suitable  time  during  the  year,  and  the  offering  of  especial  gifts 
and  contributions,  for  the  advancement  of  God's  kingdom,  as 
well  as  through  a  united  effort  for  a  general  revival  of  the  Church, 
the  enlargement  of  its  borders,  and  for  a  closer  union  by  the 
bond  of  Christian  love. 

"The  present  period  of  the  Evangelical  Association  appears 
to  us  particularly  suitable  for  commencing  foreign  missions,  and 
other  important  enterprises,  calculated  to  promote  the  honor  and 
cause  of  God.  No  doubt,  all  faithful  and  in  the  welfare  of  the 
Church  interested  members,  would  take  an  active  part  in  the  cele- 
bration of  such  a  jubilee,  and  appear  with  liberal  hearts,  and 
with  hands  richly  filled  before  the  Lord,  and  bring  Him  an  ac- 
ceptable and  well  pleasing  thank-offering.  What  a  glorious  and 
advantageous  result  might  we  not  expect  from  such  a  jubilee ! 
The  Association  would  not  only  acquire  more  firmness,  and  in- 
fluence thereby,  but  probably  on  the  whole  a  more  general  and 
enlarged  participation  in  the  cause  of  God. " 


294  E  VANQELICAL  A880 CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


To  these  noble  sentiments  the  Church  responded  most  heart- 
ily, not  in  words  alone,  but  in  deeds  that  shall  live  coeval  with 
her  history. 

The  celebration  of  the  semi-centennial  of  the  existence  of  the 
Evangelical  Association  was  commemorated  along  several  lines, 
first  as  a  memorial,  in  remembrance  of  her  founder,  Jacob  Al- 
bright. Hence  the  jubilee  was  fixed  on  the  day  on  which  he 
started  out  as  an  independent  evangelist,  of  which  the  bishops 
gave  official  notice  in  the  periodicals,  as  follows : 

"Whereas  we  the  undersigned,  as  superintendents  of  the 
Evangelical  Association,  have  been  requested  by  the  East  and 
West  Pa.  Conferences  to  appoint  a  thanksgiving  day  for  the  pro- 
posed jubilee ;  and,  whereas,  we  do  fully  concur  with  the  recom- 
mendation of  observing  such  a  festival ;  therefore  we  appoint  for 
said  purpose,  Thursday,  the  17th  of  October  next,  and  recom- 
mend the  observance  of  it  to  all  societies  and  members  of  our 
whole  Church  union,  with  the  hope  and  confidence  and  inmost 
desire  that  it  may  prove  a  blessed  and  joyful  day  for  all." 

John  Sevbert, 
Joseph  Long. 

New  Berlin,  March  2j,  i8jo. 

In  addition  to  this  memorial  day,  there  was  projected  by  the 
East  Pa.  Conference,  a  memorial  church,  to  be  erected  at  the 
grave  of  Jacob  Albright,  at  Klinefeltersville,  Pa.  This  church 
was  dedicated  with  great  solemnity,  Oct.  13.  Rev.  J.  M.  Savlor 
read  the  dedicatory  formula,  and  Rev.  J.  P.  Leib  preached  the 
sermon  from  Haggai  ii.  9.  Henry  Fisher,  chief  book  steward, 
preached  in  the  afternoon  from  Psalm  xciii.  5,  and  J.  C.  Farns- 
woRTH  in  the  evening  from  I.  Peter  v.  4. 

The  educational  interests  of  the  Church  were  somewhat  re- 
vived, and  the  West  Pa.  Conference  appointed  a  committe  to 
devise  plans  for  the  establishment  of  an  academy.  This  project 
however  did  not  develop  as  successfully  as  some  others  of  the 
jubilee  year. 

By  far  the  most  important  interest  developed  at  this  time  was 
the  undertaking  of  foreign  missions.  With  remarkable  unanimity 
— as  though  preconcerted — the  various  annual  conferences  ap- 
proved and  agreed  to  support  the  plan  projected  by  the  East  Pa. 
Conference  for  the  establishment  of  a  mission  in  Germany. 
Without  any  delay  or  hesitation,  plans  were  matured  and  funds 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


29S 


collected,  and  in  November  the  first  missionary,  Rev.  J.  C.  Link, 
was  on  his  way  to  preach  Evangelical  truth  in  the  Fatherland. 

1850.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Feb.  27. 
Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  president;  Fred.  Danner,  secretary.  M. 
F.  Maize  and  John  Eckert  received  permission  to  rest  a  year. 
D.  Berger  and  C.  Loos,  located.  F.  L.  Stoever  died.  A. 
ZiEGENFUs  was  licensed  to  preach.  H.  Bisse,  A.  Ziegenfus, 
Geo.  Knerr  and  R.  Deisher  were  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
F.  Danner  was  elected  presiding  elder.  "H.  Bucks,  C.  Hum- 
mel and  F.  Krecker  were  appointed  a  committee  to  prepare 
resolutions  with  reference  to  the  establishment  of  a  mission  in 
Germany."  A  resolution  relative  to  the  erection  of  a  memorial 
church  at  the  grave  of  the  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion was  adopted. 

A  recommendation  to  the  next  General  Conference  was  adopt- 
ed— to  introduce  a  probationary  system  in  the  Church  for  new 
members. 

Districts :  Philadelphia,  F.  Hoffman,  presiding  elder ;  Leba- 
non, F.  Danner;  Orwigsburg,  J.  P.  Leib. 

1850.  West  Pa.  Conference,  New  Columbia,  Pa.,  March 
13.  Bishop  Joseph  Long,  president;  Charles  Hammer,  sec- 
retary. Memorial  services  were  held  in  memory  of  George 
Weirick  and  John  Bishop,  deceased.  Daniel  Berger  was 
received  from  the  East  Pa.  Conference.  Received  into  the  itin- 
erancy— L.  May,  C.  Deininger,  B.  Hall,  A.  Stahley,  Isaac 
Leas,  J.  E.  Langer,  S.  Kring,  A.  Kraus,  W.  H.  Berry  and 
J.  W.  F.  Young.  Ordained  elders — M.  J.  Carothers,  Charles 
LiNDEMAN,  S.  Wolf  and  G.  J.  Foy.  Deacons — G.  Hunter  and 
J.  Kaufman.  J.  M.  Sindlinger  was  elected  presiding  elder. 
C.  Miller  and  A.  Wolf,  located.  H.  Rohland  took  creden- 
tials for  the  Illinois  Conference.  A  resolution  for  the  founding 
of  an  institution  of  learning  was  adopted.  Oct.  17th  was  desig- 
nated as  a  day  of  thanksgiving  for  the  founding  of  the  Evangel- 
ical Association.  W.  W.  Orwig  was  elected  editor  of  the  Christ- 
liche  Botschafter,  and  H.  Fisher  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger 
until  the  next  General  Conference. 

The  conference  concurred  in  the  project  of  the  East  Pa.,  for 
the  establishment  of  a  mission  in  Germany.  A  recommendation 
to  the  General  Conference  was  passed,  providing  for  stewards  to 
collect  money  on  the  various  charges. 

Districts  :  Baltimore,  J.  Boas,  presiding  elder ;  Susquehanna, 


296 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


J.  Dunlap  ;  Centre,  Alex.  Longsdorf;  Allegheny,  J.  M.  Sind- 
linger;  Somerset,  Uriah  Eberhart. 

1850.  Ohio  Conference,  North  Lima, O.,  May  15.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  J.  G.  Zinzer,  secretary.  Located  —  C. 
Haldeman,  George  Schott,  C.  Schmidt;  in  part  —  Daniel 
SwARTZ  and  Daniel  Brickly.  Received  into  the  conference — 
A,  B.  ScHAEFFER,  Peter  Hahn,  Joseph  Truby  and  J.  Schnell- 
BACHER.  Received  into  the  ministry — Daniel  Strohman,  Jacob 
ScHAFFER,  H.  Hampe.  C.  Eitelman  and  M.  Hoehn.  Ordained 
elders — A.  E.  Dreisbach,  H.  Downy,  J.  Kanaga,  George  Doll 
and  C.  MuNK.  Deacons — J.  H.  Stirm,  C.  Schmidt,  J.  Schnell- 
bacher,  D.  Fleisher,  J.  G.  Kissel.  Resolutions  favorable  to 
the  semi-centennial  jubilee  and  the  establishment  of  a  German 
Mission  were  adopted.  A  plan  was  adopted  making  the  charges 
independent  of  each  other  in  the  support  of  the  preachers.  A 
committee  was  appointed  to  examine  the  young  preachers  in 
their  studies  at  the  next  annual  session. 

Districts:  Columbianna,  A.  Niebel,  presiding  elder;  Mo- 
hickon,  J.  J.  Kopp ;  Sandusky,  H.  Longbrake;  Scioto,  J.  G. 
Zinzer. 

1850.  Illinois  Conference,  Des  Plains,  111.,  June  12.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  J.  J.  Esher,  secretary.  C.  Glaus,  located. 
A.  B.  ScHAFFER  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  returned 
to  the  Ohio  Conference.  J.  J.  Kopp  resigned  on  account  of 
failing  health.  Newly  received — Peter  Bergner,  J.  Shaffle, 
F.  Shuerman,  George  Fleisher,  Benjamin  Raudenbush,  J. 
F.  Wolf,  A.  Michael,  Joseph  Fisher  and  William  Strass- 
BURGHER.  Samuel  Dickover  was  ordained  elder,  and  J.  H. 
Ragatz,  H.  Esh,  J.  G.  Esher,  J.  Riegel  and  B.  Uphouse  dea- 
cons. Resolutions  favorable  to  the  proposed  jubilee  and  German 
Mission  were  adopted.  C.  Augenstein,  G.  G.  Platz  and  G.  A. 
Blank  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts:  Wabash,  G.  A.  Blank,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Joseph, 
C.  Augenstein;  Peoria,  G.  G.  Platz;  Madison,  S.  Baumgardner. 

1850,  New  York  Conference,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  April  17. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  Wm  Mentz,  secretary.  Philip 
Miller,  located.  Jacob  Bastian,  John  Schaaf,  A.  Z.  Gott- 
wals  and  John  Greuzenbach  were  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
William  Schmidt  was  ordained  elder  and  J.  Schaaf  deacon. 
Conference  expressed  itself  favorable  to  the  proposed  semi- 
centennial jubilee,  and  the  establishment  of  a  German  Mission. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


297 


Districts :  Albany,  J.  Kehr,  presiding  elder ;  Buifalo,  William 
Mintz ;  Canada,  M.  Lehn. 

1851.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa.,  Feb.  26. 
Bishop  Joseph  Long,  president ;  F.  Krecker,  secretary.  John 
Sensel,  located.  J.  Young  and  G.  L.  Miller  were  licensed  to 
preach.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — S.  G.  Rhoads,  C.  Ging- 
erich,  L.  Snyder,  Jesse  Young  and  N.  Goebel.  W.  Garret 
and  H.  Bisse  were  ordained  deacons.  A  mission  was  located 
in  New  Jersey.    Germantown,  Pa.,  was  made  a  station. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  F.  Hoffman,  presiding  elder ;  Leba- 
non, F.  Danner;  Orwigsburg,  J.  P.  Leib. 

1851.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Berlin,  Somerset  county.  Pa., 
March  12.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  L.  Eberhart,  secre- 
tary. Daniel  Sill,  located.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — A. 
Bower,  J.  S.  Hyde,  J.  W.  Marlin,  J,  G.  Pfeifer,  H.  H. 
Buecker,  W.  B.  Poling,  J.  Kaufman,  A.  Bender,  also  J.  G. 
Miller,  of  the  Illinois  Conference.  Ordained  elders — B. 
Hengst,  W.  B.  Gregg,  J.  Bolton,  L.  D.  Brown,  J.  L.  W. 
Seibert,  Daniel  Kramer,  John  Kramer  and  George  Cupp. 
Deacons — M.  Zulauf,  J.  Weikel,  J.  M.  McKesson  and  W. 
Hammer.    Jacob  Boas  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Baltimore,  Alex.  Longsdorf,  presiding  elder ;  Sus- 
quehanna, J.  Dunlap ;  Centre,  J.  Boas  ;  Somerset,  U.  Eberhart ; 
Allegheny,  J.  M.  Sindlinger. 

1851.  Ohio  Conference,  West  Salem,  Ohio,  May  14.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  A.  B.  Schaffer,  secretary.  Located — 
J.  Hall,  P.  Pontius,  Jacob  Shaffer  and  John  Lutz.  Ordained 
elders — C.  G.  Koch  and  J.  G.  Wolpert.  Deacons — P.  Swartz 
and  P.  Pontius.  J.  G.  Strohm,  of  West  Pa.  Conference,  was 
received  into  the  conference.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — Wm. 
Traeger,  Philip  Purr,  L.  Sheurman,  G.  M.  Young  and  John 
Erb,  anew.  A.  B.  Shaeffer  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Henry 
Niebel  and  E.  Stoever  were  superannuated. 

1851.  Illinois  Conference,  Brookville,  111.,  June  18.  Presi- 
dent, Bishop  Seybert;  secretary,  C.  A.  Schnake.  Benjamin 
Eppley,  located.  Benj.  Raudenbush  and  Geo.  Schmidt  died 
during  the  year.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — H.  Rohland, 
from  the  West  Pa.  Conference,  Jacob  Kemmerling  and  John 
Mayer.  On  probation — G.  Franzen,  J.  C.  Anthes  and  Paul 
Benker.  Ordained  elders — George  Messner  and  F.  Weit- 
haupt.    Deacons — C.  A.  Schnake  and  Jacob  Keiper.   C.  Aug- 


293  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


ENSTErN  and  G.  G.  Platz  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder ; 
and  S.  Baumgarder  was  re-elected,  and  J.  J.  Esher,  S.  Dickover 
and  Joseph  Harlacher  were  newly  elected. 

Districts :  Wabash,  G.  A.  Blank,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Joseph, 
S.  Dickover;  Peoria,  S.  Baumgardner;  Wisconsin,  J.  J.  Esher; 
Chicago,  Joseph  Harlacher. 

1851.  New  York  Conference,  Lyons,  N.  Y.,  April  i6. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  M.  Lehn,  secretary.  Newly  received 
— P.  Alles  and  J.  Jenny.  Ordained  elders — S.  Weber,  L. 
Jacoby  and  Jacob  Wagoner.  Deacon — Philip  Miller.  M. 
Eis,  located. 

Districts:  Albany,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder;  Buffalo,  Jacob 
Kehr;  Canada,  W.  Schmidt. 


CHAPTER  X. 


Tenth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Flat  Rock,  O., 
Sept.  17-30,  1851. 

1851.  General  Conference,  tenth  session,  Flat  Rock,  O., 
Sept.  1 7-30.  Both  bishops  were  present.  Bishop  J.  Long  opened 
the  session  and  appointed  H.  Bucks,  secretary.  Notice  was 
given  of  the  death  of  Samuel  Baumgardner,  of  Illinois  Confer- 
ence, and  it  was  "Resolved  that  the  members  of  this  conference, 
in  order  to  attest  their  tender  regard  for  the  deceased,  hold  reg- 
ular funeral  services  on  next  Sabbath  afternoon.  Bishop  Long 
at  that  time  delivered  a  memorial  sermon  from  Dan.  xii.  3. 

It  was  resolved  to  remove  the  book  concern  to  Cleveland,©., 
on  certain  conditions,  and  many  changes  were  ordered  in  its 
business.  A.  Vallerchamp  introduced  a  motion  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Sunday-School  Union,  which  was  referred  to  a 
committee,  whose  report  was  not  adopted.  Much  time  was  spent 
in  discussing  missionary  projects.  The  action  of  the  Board  of 
Missions  (appointed  by  the  annual  conferences)  in  sending  J.C. 
Link  to  Germany  was  approved,  and  J.  Nicolai  was  elected  as 
an  additional  missionary.  W.  W.  Orwig  offered  a  resolution 
looking  to  the  establishment  of  a  heathen  mission,  which  was 
adopted,  and  the  matter  referred  to  the  Board  of  Missions.  The 
Pittsburg  Conference  was  formed  of  parts  of  the  West  Pa.  and 
Ohio  Conferences,  and  the  Indiana  Conference  was  formed  of 
Wabash  and  St.  Joseph  Districts  of  the  Illinois  Conference. 
Bishops  J.  Seybert  and  Joseph  Long  were  reelected.  W.  W. 
Orwig  was  elected  general  book  agent  and  editor  of  the  Botschaf- 
ier,  and  J.  G.  Zinzer  assistant  editor.  H.  Fisher  was  elected 
editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger. 

Amendments  to  the  Discipline  were  made,  chiefly  as  follows : 
(i)  The  order  of  procedure  of  the  annual  conferences  in  the 


300  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


missionary  cause  was  improved.  (2)  The  marriage  formula  was 
improved.  (3)  Class  leaders  to  be  chosen  every  two  years. 
(4)  "Resolved,  That  in  all  cities  and  places  where  preachers  and 
societies  promise  themselves  more  benefit  from  a  six  months' 
probation,  they  shall  be  at  liberty  to  introduce  the  same."  (5) 
An  additional  paragraph  on  the  management  of  foreign  missions. 
(6)  The  introduction  of  a  burial  formula. 

The  recommendation  to  increase  the  power  of  the  bishop, 
especially  in  regard  to  restoring  the  transferring  power,  evoked 
a  lengthy  discussion.  The  matter  was  finally  referred  to  a  com- 
mittee of  five,  who  submitted  the  following:  "Resolved,  That 
in  case  one  of  our  bishops  at  any  time  finds  it  necessary  to  remove 
one  or  more  preachers  from  one  conference  to  another,  he  shall 
be  authorized  to  do  so,  with  the  consent  of  the  preacher  con- 
cerned, and  of  the  presiding  elder  having  charge  over  him.  Such 
a  preacher  shall  then  be  considered  a  member  of  that  conference, 
whithersoever  he  may  have  been  removed,  until  the  next  session 
of  the  same,  when  it  is  to  be  decided  whether  he  shall  be  retained 
as  a  member  or  not.  If  however  that  conference  sees  proper  not 
to  retain  him,  he  shall  have  the  right  to  return  to  his  conference." 
The  discussion  was  renewed  upon  the  presentation  of  this  reso- 
lution. "Fear  was  expressed  of  episcopal  power, which  in  some 
parts  of  Christendom  had  already  become  so  dreadful.  The 
less  power  in  the  hands  of  the  bishop,  it  was  thought,  the  more 
safe  for  the  society  in  the  future."*  The  recommendation  was 
not  adopted. 

A  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  was  constitued,  consisting  of 
the  secretary  of  the  Parent  Missionary  Society,  John  Sevbert, 
Henry  Fisher,  J.  Boas  and  the  presiding  elder  of  Orwigsburg 
District,  East  Pa.  Conference. 

Delegates  to  the  General  Conference  of  1851,  with  year  of 
birth  : 


Bishop  J.  Seybert,  1 791. 
Bishop  Jos.  Long,  1800. 

East  Pa.  Conference. 

J  P.  Leib,  1802. 
Jos.  M.  Saylor,  1803. 
Fred.  Banner,  1805. 


F.  Hoffman,  1806. 
C.  Hummel,  1810. 
H.  Bucks,  iSio. 
M.  F.  Maize,  1813. 
C.  Meyer,  1814. 
F.  Krecker,  1 816. 
S.  Neitz,  182 1. 


West  Pa.  Conference. 

H.  Fisher,  1800. 
Philip  Wagoner,  1800. 
D.  Kehr,  1803. 
A.  Vallerchamp,  1803. 
J.  M.  Sindlinger,  1807. 
James  Dunlap,  1809. 


*  Official  rep>ort  in  Evangelical  Messenger,  Oct.  22,  185 1. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


301 


C.  Hammer,  1809. 
W.  VV.  Orwig,  1810. 
Alex.  Longsdorf,  i8l2. 

D.  N.  Long,  1813. 
Jacob  Boas,  1815. 

E.  Kohr,  1823. 

U.  Eberhart,  1 82 1. 
Levi  Eberhart,  1822. 

Ohio  Conference. 

H.  Niebel,  1784. 
J.  Dreisbach,  1789. 
A.  B.  Shaefer,  1797. 
E.  Stoever,  1805. 
J.  J.  Kopp,  1S05. 


J.  G.  Zinzer,  1806. 
H.  Longbrake,  1809. 
D.  Brickley,  1809. 

F.  Freeh,  1809. 

G.  Haley,  1814. 
C.  G.  Koch,  1817. 
A.  Niebel,  1817. 

A.  E.  Dreisbach,  1818. 
G.  F.  Behner,  1818. 
P.  W.  Hahn,  1819. 
G.  F.  Spreng,  1823. 

New  York  Conference. 

Jacob  Kehr,  1808. 
Jacob  Reigel,  1809. 


Wm.  Smith,  1809. 
Wm.  Mentz,  1811. 
D.  Fisher,  18 14. 

Illinois  Conference. 

J.  P.  Kramer,  1809. 
Benj.  Epply,  1810. 
J.  Harlacher,  i8l2. 
H.  Rohland,  1817. 
C.  Augenstein,  i8i8. 
Wm.  Kolb,  1820. 
G.  A.  Blank,  1822. 
S.  A.  Tobias,  1822. 
J.  J.  Esher,  1823. 
S.  Dickover,  1826. 


1852.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Pine  Grove,  Pa.,  Feb.  25. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  Abraham  Schultz,  secretary. 
Newly  received — J.  L.  Fritz,  E.  Ely,  W.  Rogers,  A.  Hinkel 
and  Abraham  Saylor.    Received  into  the  itinerancy — C.  Loos, 

H.  C.  Major  and  Ehp.  Ely.    Ordained  elders — N.  McLean, 

I.  Hess  and  J.  Schell.  Deacons — A.  Ziegenfus,  L.  Snyder, 
George  Knerr,  S.  G.  Roads  and  C.  Gingerich.  F.  Banner 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  F.  Hoffman  and  J.  P. 
Leib  were  re-elected,  and  G.  T.  Haines  newly  elected. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  G.  T.  Haines,  presiding  elder ;  Leb- 
anon, F.  Hoffman;  Orwigsburg,  J.  P.  Leib. 

1852.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Prospect,  Pa.,  March  17. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  H.  Fisher,  secretary.  Located — 
A.  Vallerchamp,  D.  Berger  and  J.  Kauffman.  Chas.  Ham- 
mer and  D.  Kehr  were  permitted  to  rest  one  year.  L.  Eber- 
hart withdrew  from  active  service.  Received  into  the  itinerancy 
— H.  Kaegel,  H.  Althouse,  E.  B.  Wilson,  S.  W.  Seibert, 
H.  R.  Price,  Jacob  Young  and  George  Hinkel.  Ordained 
deacons — L.  May,  C.  F.  Deininger,  Abraham  Kraus,  W.  H. 
Berry,  J.  C.  Lunger  and  Isaac  Leas.  The  preachers  were  in- 
structed to  organize  catechetical  classes  wherever  practicable, 
and  rules  governing  the  same  were  adopted.  Stewards  were 
ordered  to  be  elected  on  the  various  charges,  to  collect  the  sal- 
ary. The  preachers  were  enjoined  to  be  more  active  in  organ- 
izing Sunday-schools. 

Districts :  Baltimore,  Alex.  Longsdorf,  presiding  elder ;  Cen- 
tre, J.  Boas ;  Susquehanna,  J.  Dunlap. 


302  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1852.  Pittsburg  Conference  held  its  first  session  in  Pitts- 
burg, Pa.,  March  3.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  C.  G.  Koch, 
secretary.  Withdrawn  from  the  Church — J.Bolton.  Received 
into  the  itinerancy — J.  Weikel,  H.  W.  Thomas,  J.  M.  Zirkel, 
L.W.  Reichman  and  B.  Schade.  Ordained  deacons — A.  Bower, 
Andrew  Stahlev,  S.  B.  Kring,  Wm.  Bressler,  J.  M.  Zirkel, 
and  H.  Hampe.  D.  N.  Long  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Reso- 
lutions were  adopted  and  a  committee  appointed  looking  to  the 
establishment  of  an  institution  of  learning  within  the  bounds  of 
the  conference. 

Districts:  Somerset,  U.  Eberhart,  presiding  elder;  Allegheny, 
D.  N.  Long ;  Pittsburg,  J.  M.  Sindlinger. 

1852.  New  York  Conference,  Berlin,  Canada,  April  14. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president ;  W.  Schmidt,  secretary.  Received 
into  the  itinerancy — J.  G.  Staebler  and  W.  Oetzel.  Ordained 
elders — F.  Herlan  and  J.  Schaaf.  Deacons — A.  Z.  Gottwals 
and  J.  Grenzebach.  The  charges  were  made  independent  of 
each  other  in  the  matter  of  salary. 

Districts :  Albany,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  J. 
Kehr;  Canada,  W.  Schmidt. 

1852.  Ohio  Conference,  Bristol,  O.,  May  12.  Bishop  J. 
Seybert,  president;  J.  G.  Wolpert,  secretary.  J.  G.  Stirm 
died  during  the  year.  Newly  received — Benjamin  Keller,  John 
Waltz,  George  Theuer  and  J.  Lutz.  Ordained  elders — J. 
HoNECKER,  R.  Riegel  and  J.  Schnellbacher.  Deacons  — 
Christian  Idleman,  M.  Hoehn  and  D.  Strohman.  An  anti- 
secret  society  resolution  was  adopted. 

Districts:  Wooster,  H.  Longbrake,  presiding  elder;  Sandusky, 
J.  J.  Kopp ;  Scioto,  A.  B.  Schaefer. 

1852.  Illinois  Conference,  Naperville,  111.,  June  16.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  J.  J.  Esher,  secretary.  S.  Baumgard- 
ner,  a  presiding  elder,  died  and  C.  Holl  withdrew  during  the 
year.  J.  Mover  located.  C.  Glaus,  N.  McLain,  J.  H.  Yam- 
bert  and  J.  G.  Essi.inger  were  received  from  other  conferences, 
and  B.  Ruh,  F.  Weihe  and  L.  Buehler  on  probation.  Ordained 
elders — B.  Uphaus,  John  Reigel  and  H.  Esh.  Deacons — P. 
Burgner,  J.  Schafle,  Wm.  Strassberger,  Geo.  Fleisher  and 
Joseph  Fisher.  G.  A.  Blank  and  Joseph  Harlacher  resigned 
the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  C.  Glaus  and  S.  A.  Tobias  were 
elected.  Fox  River,  DeKalb  and  Evansville  Missions  were  estab- 
lished.   The  Indiana  Conference  was  formed. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


808 


Illinois  Conference  Districts :  Peoria,  Henry  Rohland,  pre- 
siding elder ;  Wisconsin,  J.  J.  Esher ;  Chicago,  S.  A.  Tobias. 

Indiana  Conference  Districts :  St.  Joseph,  S.  Dickover,  pre- 
siding elder ;  Wabash,  C.  Glaus. 

New  York  Conference  sustained  the  loss  of  one  of  its  leading 
men,  Jacob  Riegel,  who  died  near  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  aged 
forty-two  years.  He  was  born  in  Northampton  county.  Pa.,  and 
entered  the  ministry  in  1834. 

1853.  East  Pa. Conference,  Reading,  Pa.,  Feb.  23.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  H.  Bucks,  secretary.  Retained  in  the  itin- 
erancy without  appointments — M.  F.  Maize,  F.  Danner  and  J. 
Adams.  Died — J.  Sensel.  Credentials  were  voted  JesseYoung. 
Ordained  elders — C.  Loos  and  R.  Deisher.  Deacons  —  H.  C. 
Major  and  N.  Goebel.  Licensed  to  preach  —  P.  V.  Platz,  T. 
G.  Clewell,  W.  Yost,  Z.  Hornberger,  S.  P.  Reinoehl,  L. 
Kelly  and  H.  Koester.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — D. 
Berger,  Jesse  Yeakel,  T.  G.  Clewell,  William  Yost,  S.  P. 
Reinoehl,  L.  Kelly  and  F.  P.  Lehr.  Easton  was  taken  up  as 
a  mission.  Lebanon  was  detached  from  the  circuit  and  made  a 
station.    Monroe  and  Kutztown  Circuits  were  formed. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  G.  J.  Haines,  presiding  elder ;  Leb- 
anon, F.  Hoffman ;  Orwigsburg,  J.  P.  Leib. 

1853.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Buffalo  Valley,  Pa.,  March  2. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  Chas.  Hammer,  secretary.  Located 
— Daniel  Kehr  and  Henry  Althouse.  Ordained  elders — M. 
ZuLAUF  and  George  Hunter.  Deacons — A.  J.  Bender,  E. 
Wilson,  P.  Graham  and  J.  G.  Bertch.  W.  W.  Orwig  resigned 
the  editorship  of  the  Botschafter  and  the  office  of  book  steward. 
C.  G.  Koch,  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference,  was  elected  to  the 
former  office  and  C.  Hammer  to  the  latter.  Hammer  resigned, 
and  M.  F.  Maize  was  elected.  He  also  resigned,  and  Hammer 
was  induced  later  to  accept  the  position.  C.  Hammer  was  newly 
elected  and  A.  Longsdorf,  reelected  presiding  elders. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  A.  Longsdorf,  presiding  elder ;  Centre, 
J.  Boas  ;  Susquehanna,  C.  Hammer. 

1853.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Zion  Church,  Jefferson  county. 
Pa.,  March  16.  J.  Seybert,  president;  C.  G.  Koch  and  U. 
Eberhart,  secretaries.  Abraham  Niebel,  of  the  Ohio  Confer- 
ence, and  John  Pfeifer  and  Jacob  Rosenberger  were  received 
into  the  itinerancy.  J.  M.  McKesson  and  Jacob  Weikel  were 
ordained  elders,  and  H.  H.  Bicker,  W.  B.  Poling,  J.  G.  Pfeifer, 


304  E VANOELICAL  A880CIA Tl ON  ANNALS. 

J.  S.  Hyde  and  A.  Weaver,  deacons.  Jacob  Rank  was  elected 
presiding  elder.  A  German  mission  was  located  in  Allegheny 
City,  and  an  English  mission  in  the  "West."  U.  Eberhart  was 
permitted  to  rest  one  year.  Albright  Seminary  was  established  at 
Berlin,  Somerset  county,  Pa. 

Districts  :  Somerset,  D.  N.  Long,  presiding  elder ;  Allegheny, 
J,  Rank;  Pittsburg,  J.M.  Sindlinger. 

1853.  New  York  Conference,  Buffalo,  N,  Y.,  April  27. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  W.  Mentz,  secretary.  J.  D. 
Jenni  and  P.  Alles  were  ordained  deacons.  Jacob  Riegel 
died  during  the  year. 

Districts :  Albany,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  J. 
Kehr;  Canada,  Wm.  Schmidt. 

1853.  Ohio  Conference,  Immanuel's  Church,  Pickaway 
county,  Ohio,  May  11.  President,  Bishop  J.  Long;  secretary, 
J.  G.  Wolpert.  Died — H.  Downy,  P.  Pontius  and  Jacob  Van- 
DERSAL.  Newly  licensed — C.  M.  Reinhold,  Philip  Schatz  and 
Abraham  Long.  Ordained  elder — Philip  Swartz.  Deacons— 
L.  Shireman,  G.  M.  Young  and  Philip  Porr.  Elected  presi  - 
ing  elders — G.  F.  Spreng  and  A.  E.  DRiESBAch.  R.  Reigel, 
located.    Canton  was  made  a  mission. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  G.  F.  Spreng,  presiding  elder ;  Wooster, 
H.  Longbrake;  Sandusky,  A.  E.  Driesbach;  Scioto,  A.  B.  Shaefer. 

1853.  Illinois  Conference,  Racine,  Wis. ,  June  29.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  J.  J.  Esher,  secretary.  Joseph  Harlacher, 
George  Messner  and  Jacob  Kemmerling,  located.  G.  G. 
Platz  joined  the  Indiana  Conference.  Received  into  the  itin- 
erancy— L.  Von  Wald,  Oswald  Ragatz,  D.  S.  Boyer,  Israel 
KuTER,  Henry  Shelp,  John  Miller,  Henry  Lagenshulte 
and  Conrad  Pfeil,  and  H.  Eiterman  anew.  Ordained  elders 
— J.  G.  Esher  and  C.  A.  Schnake.  Deacons — J.  C.  Anthes, 
Jacob  Trumbaur  and  J.  G.  Esslinger.  The  southern  part  of 
Chicago  was  taken  up  as  a  mission,  also  Waukeesha,  Wis.  Iowa 
was  supplied  with  two  preachers. 

Districts :  Peoria,  H.  Rohland,  presiding  elder ;  Chicago,  S. 
A.  Tobias ;  Wisconsin,  J.  J.  Esher. 

Note. — At  this  session  the  conference  appointed  J.  W.  McKesson  to  estab- 
lish an  English  work  in  the  West.  June  28  he  arrived  in  McDonough  county, 
lU.,  and  began  his  labors.  He  laid  the  foundations  for  the  English  work  in 
western  Illinois  and  eastern  Iowa.  Owing  to  ill  health  he  did  not  continue  the 
second  year,  and  the  Illinois  Conference  was  asked  to  take  charge  of  the  work, 
owing  to  a  scarcity  of  preachers  in  the  Pittsburg  Conference. 


CONFERENVB  RECORDS. 


805 


1853.  Indiana  Conference,  first  session,  Germantown,  Ind., 
June  I.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  A.  Nicolai,  secretary. 
Bishop  Long  was  appointed  to  frame  rules  for  the  conference. 
Received  into  the  itinerancy — H.  Strickler,  John  Fuchs,  J. 
RooKSTUHL,  W.  BocKMAN  and  J.  M.  Kronmiller,  also  G.  G. 
Platz,  of  the  Illinois  Conference.  Jacob  Keiper  was  ordained 
elder  and  G.  Franzen  deacon.  Huntington  and  Olney  missions 
were  established.  It  was  resolved  to  build  a  meeting  house  at 
Evansville. 

Districts :  St.  Joseph,  Samuel  Dickover,  presiding  elder ; 
Wabash,  C.  Glaus. 

Note. — The  year  1853  marks  a  number  of  notable  events  in 
the  history  of  the  Association.  Albright  Seminary,  at  Berlin,  Som- 
erset county,  Pa.,  the  first  institution  of  learning  in  the  connec- 
tion, was  opened  Aug.  8.  The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  held 
its  annual  session  at  New  Berlin,  Sept.  24,  at  which  time  the 
subject  of  a  heathen  mission  was  discussed,  and  resolutions,  look- 
ing to  its  establishment,  were  adopted.  The  first  Evangelical 
camp-meeting  in  Iowa  began  Sept.  8,  on  land  of  Brother  J.  Bal- 
liet,  ten  miles  northwest  of  Muscatine. 

1854.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Pottsville,  Pa.,  Feb.  22.  Bishop 
J.  Sevbert,  president;  H.  Bucks  and  F.  Krecker,  secretaries. 
Located — J.  G.  Marquardt,  A.  Schultz,  H.  Bucks  and  C. 
Hummel.  G.  T.  Haines  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder, 
and  F.  Krecker  was  elected.  H.  A.  Bisse  died.  Received  on 
trial — J.  O.  Lehr,  T.  Plattenberger,  R.  Yeakel,  H.  Koester, 
Elias  Miller  and  Moses  Dissinger.  Ordained  elders  —  G. 
Knerr,  a.  Ziegenfus,  C.  Gingerich,  D.  Hambright  and  S. 
G.  Rhoads.  Deacons — E.  Ely,  J.  Yeakel  and  J.  Rhoads. 
Harrisburg  was  constituted  a  mission.  Fredrick  Miller,  of 
Washington  township,  Lehigh  county.  Pa.,  died,  leaving  to  the 
conference  an  estate  of  $14,000,  which  the  conference  turned 
over  to  the  Charitable  Society.    Ordination  text — Luke  xii.  42. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  J.  P.  Leib,  presiding  elder;  Leba- 
non, F.  Krecker;  Orwigsburg,  F.  Hoffman. 

1854.  West  Pa.  Conference,  York,  Pa.,  March  i.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  C.  Hammer,  secretary.  Henry  Fisher, 
editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  died  during  the  year.  Isaac 
Leas,  located.  Ordained  elders  —  B.  F.  Hall,  L.  May,  J.  C. 
Lunger,  A.  Kraus  and  C.  F.  Deininger.    Deacons — H.  R. 


306 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Price,  Jacob  Young,  S.  W.  Seibert  and  N.  Doebler.  P. 
Wagoner  was  elected  presiding  elder,  C.  Hammer  chief  book 
agent  of  the  establishment,  and  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  editor  of  the 
Evangelical  Messenger,  in  place  of  H.  Fisher,  deceased.  After 
much  debating  and  planning  it  was  resolved  to  establish  at 
New  Berlin,  Pa.,  an  institution  of  learning  to  be  called  Union 
Seminary. 

Districts  :  Baltimore,  P.  Wagoner,  presiding  elder ;  Centre, 
J.  Boas ;  Susquehanna,  A.  Longsdorf. 

1854.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Somerset,  Pa.,  March  15. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  Chas.  Lindeman,  secretary.  John 
RosENBERGER  died.  B.  Shady,  A.  Bower  and  J.  M.  Sind- 
LiNGER,  located,  the  latter  two  going  West.  Received  into  the 
traveling  connection — B.  L.  Miller,  E.  Peer,  A.  Long,  G.  W. 
Reisinger  and  A.  T.  Doll.  Ordained  elders — H.  Hampe,  A. 
Stehlev,  S.  B.  Kring,  A.  Bower  and  J.  M.  Zirkle.  Deacons 
— L.  L.  Reichman,  H.  W.  Thomas,  J.  Rosenberger,  B.  L. 
Miller,  D.  J.  Paul  and  J.  Hanger.  Cambria  andi  Centreville 
Circuits  were  formed.  The  preachers  were  instructed  to  deliver 
lectures  in  favor  of  a  prohibitory  liquor  law.  Anti-tobacco  res- 
olutions were  adopted. 

Districts  :  Somerset,  D.  N.  Long,  presiding  elder;  Allegheny, 
J.  Rank;  Pittsburg,  Charles  Lindeman. 

1854.  New  York  Conference,  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  April  26. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  M.  Lehn,  secretary.  John  Wag- 
oner and  Joseph  Unbach  were  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
John  Grenzenbach  was  ordained  elder,  and  J.  G.  Stabler,  W. 
Oetzel  and  John  Wagoner,  deacons.  A  mission  was  estab- 
lished at  Sougien,  Canada. 

Districts :  Albany,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  Jacob 
Kehr;  Canada,  W.  Schmidt. 

1854.  Ohio  Conference,  Dayton,  Ohio,  May  17.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president ;  G.  F,  Spreng,  secretary.  George  Kaag 
and  A.  Loehner,  located.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — Reuben 
RiEGEL,  J.  Strome,  a.  Hassenpflug,  M.  Miller,  S.  Swartz, 

C.  Rohm  and  S.  Hoy,  the  latter  on  probation.  Ordained  elders 
■ — G.  Theur,  J.  Waltz  and  B.  Keller.    Deacons — C.  Idleman, 

D.  Strohman  and  M.  Hoehn.  J.  G.  Zinzer  was  permitted  to 
rest  because  of  an  affection  of  his  eyes.  Pomeroy  Mission  was 
established,  and  Sandusky  and  Cleveland  Missions  were  aonsti- 
tuted  stations. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


Districts :  Cleveland,  G.  F.  Spreng,  presiding  elder ;  Wooster, 
H.  Longbrake ;  Sandusky,  A.  E.  Dreisbach ;  Scioto,  A.  B. 
Schaeffer. 

1854.  Illinois  Conference,  Brookville,  111. ,  June  28.  Bishop 
J.  Sevbert,  president;  J.  J.  Esher,  secretary.  Received  on 
probation — Jacob  Himmel  and  Joseph  Gibens.  Received  into 
the  itinerancy — C.  Hummel,  John  Schneider,  J.  M.  Sind- 
LiNGER,  Elias  Musselman,  C.  Augenstein,  L.  Nauman,  Jos. 
Gibens,  Conrad  Spielman,  Jacob  Himmel,  J.  F.  Schnee  and 
George  Vetter.  Ordained  elders — Jacob  Schaffle,  George 
Fleischer,  W.  Strassburger  and  L.  H.  Eiterman.  Deacons 
— L.  Buehler  and  Elias  Musselman.  An  independent  salary 
system  was  adopted.  H.  Lageschulte  and  Jacob  Trumbower, 
located.  The  work  in  Iowa  was  divided  into  Cedar  River  Cir- 
cuit and  Dubuque  Mission.  Oshkosh  Mission  was  divided.  Kan- 
kakee Mission  was  established. 

Districts:  Peoria,  H.  Rohland,  presiding  elder;  Chicago, 
S.  A.  Tobias;  Wisconsin,  J.  J.  Esher. 

1854.  Indiana  Conference,  East  Germantown,  Wayne 
county,  Ind.,  May  31.  Bishop  J.  Sevbert,  president;  A. 
NicoLAi,  secretary.  F.  Scheurman  and  J.  Rookstuhl,  located. 
Philip  Bretsch,  of  Illinois  Conference,  was  received  into  the 
itinerancy,  and  George  Eckard  on  probation.  Ordained  elders 
— Joseph  Fisher  and  P.  Burghner.  Deacons — M.  W.  Steffy 
and  B.  Ruh.  South  Bend  and  Newville  were  constituted  missions. 

Districts :  St.  Joseph,  S.  Dickover,  presiding  elder ;  Wabash, 
C.  Glaus. 

Notes. — The  year  1854  was  one  of  the  most  eventful  in  the 
history  of  the  Church.  On  Jan.  20  occurred  the  death  of  Rev. 
Henry  Fisher,  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  at  New 
Berlin,  Pa.  He  was  one  of  the  most  devoted  and  consecrated 
of  men,  and  his  death  cast  a  gloom  over  the  Association. 

In  the  Spring  of  this  year  the  book  establishment  was  removed 
from  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  to  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

During  the  early  Spring  a  public  meeting  was  held  in  the 
town  hall  of  New  Berlin,  to  take  steps  for  the  founding  of  an  in- 
stitution of  learning,  under  the  auspices  of  the  West  Pa.  Confer- 
ence. Resolutions  were  adopted,  which  were  laid  before  the 
conference  at  its  next  session.  After  a  lengthy  discussion  it  was, 
on  motion  of  M.  J.  Carothers,  resolved  to  found  such  an  insti- 
tution'at  New  Berlin,  to  be  called  "Union  Seminary."  Com- 


308  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION- ANNALS. 


mittees  and  collectors  were  appointed,  and  subsequently  the  East 
Pa.  Conference  united  in  the  enterprise,  and  the  establishment 
of  that  noble  institution,  now  the  oldest  in  the  Association,  was 
successfully  accomplished. 

1855.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Feb.  28. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  S.  Neitz,  secretary.  Located — J. 
M.  Saylor,  I.  Hess,  C.  Loos,  A.  Shultz  and  W.  Heim.  Newly 
received  on  trial — J.  Werner,  C.  S.  Haman,  T.  Sebold  and  W. 
Bachman  ;  also  J.  C.  Reisner  anew.  Received  into  the  itiner- 
ancy— J.  Frey,  Joseph  Werner,  F.  Walker,  C.  S.  Haman  and 
T.  Sebold.  Ordained  deacons — T.  G.  Clewell,  S.  P.  Rein- 
oehl,  W.  Yost,  F.  P.  Lehr,  P.  H.  Lehr,  Joshua  Frey,  R. 
Yeakel  and  Adam  Hinkel.  Concerning  the  establishment  of 
Union  Seminary,  it  was  "Resolved,  that  we  will  unite  in  the 
project  according  to  the  constitution  and  offer  presented,  the 
seminary  to  be  named  Union  Seminary  of  the  East  and  West  Pa. 
Conferences  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  Solomon  Neitz 
was  appointed  traveling  agent  for  the  same  in  the  conference. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  J.  P.  Leib,  presiding  elder  ;  Lebanon, 

F.  Krecker  ;  Orwigsburg,  F.  Hoffman. 

1855.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  8. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  Benjamin  Hengst,  secretary.  Died 
during  the  year — A.  Vallerchamp,  C.  Spangler  and  George 
Nailor.  Peter  Heiss  located,  and  H.  Keagel  was  dismissed 
to  go  West.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — D.  W.  Miller,  H. 
Althaus,  H.  Broadbeck  and  Sebastian  Mosser  (anew).  Or- 
dained elders — W.  H.  Berry  and  E.  B.  Wilson.    Deacons — • 

G.  W.  F.  Young  and  A.  L.  Reeser.  S.  Wolf  was  re-elected 
agent  of  Union  Seminary.  J.  Boas  was  elected  presiding  elder. 
W.  W.  Orwig  was  left  without  appointment  because  engaged  in 
writing  the  history  of  the  Evangelical  Association. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  J.  Boas,  presiding  elder;  Centre,  P, 
Wagoner;  Susquehanna,  A.  Longsdorf. 

1855.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  March  21. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  Joseph  Truby,  secretary.  S.  Hyde 
and  A.  G.  T.  Doll  located.  W.  B.  Gregg  and  L.  D.  Brown 
withdrew  from  the  Church.  C.  Bender  and  William  Fisher 
were  licensed  to  preach,  and  W.  H.  Stoll,  W.  H.  Pfeuffer,  W. 
J.  Stattler  and  William  Fisher  were  received  into  the  itiner- 
ancy. Ordained  elders — J.  G.  Pfeuffer  and  H.  H.  Buecker. 
Deacons — H.  W.  Pfeuffer  and  Abraham  Long. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


309 


Districts  :  Somerset,  D.  N.  Long,  presiding  elder ;  Alle- 
gheny, J.  Rank;  Pittsburg,  Charles  Lindeman. 

1855.  New  York  Conference,  Conrad  Settlement,  N.  Y. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  M.  Lauer,  secretary.  Jacob 
Bastian  located.  P.  Alles  was  ordained  elder.  Geo.  Hunter, 
of  the  West  Pa.  Conference,  took  an  appointment  in  this  confer- 
ence. The  Finance  Committee  reported  that  all  the  preachers 
had  received  full  salary. 

Districts  :  Albany,  W.  Mentz,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  M. 
Lauer ;  Canada,  J.  Kehr. 

1855.  Ohio  Conference,  Zion  Church,  Hancock  county, 
O.,  May  i6.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  G.  Wolpert  and 
C.  Idleman,  secretaries.  Died — George  Kaag.  Located — J. 
J.  Kopp,  P.  WiEST,  S.  SwARTZ  and  J.  Snellbacher.  Received 
into  the  traveling  connection — Michael  Alsbach,  Geo.  Berry, 
John  Stull,  Henry  Cover,  Jacob  Resler  and  Henry  Strauch. 
Ordained  elders  —  P.  Purr,  L.  Shireman  and  G.  M.  Young. 
Deacons — J.  P.  Schnatz,  C.  M.  Reinhold  and  J.  Strome.  It 
was  resolved  to  establish  Greensburg  Seminary,  and  committees, 
trustees  and  a  collector  were  appointed.  Elias  Stoever  was 
chosen  for  collector.  John  Dreisbach  was  re-elected  editor  of 
the  Evangelical  Messenger  until  the  next  General  Conference. 
A.  B.  Shaefer  and  J.  G.  Zinzer  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts :  Cleveland,  G.  F.  Spreng,  presiding  elder ;  Woos- 
ter,  J.  J.  Zinzer ;  Sandusky,  A.  B.  Shaefer ;  Scioto,  A.  E. 
Dreisbach. 

1855.  Illinois  Conference,  Des  Plaines,  111.,  Junes;.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary.  Located — J.  H. 
Yambert,  William  Kolb,  L.  Nauman  and  J.  H.  Esch.  Died — 
C.  Lintner.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — John  Kurtz,  John 
Schweitzer,  H.  Rothermund,  Andrew  Tarnutzer,  August 
Huelster,  William  Zikerick,  Jacob  Sill,  John  Dengel,  Fred. 
Schreiber  and  Henry  Lageschulte.  Ordained  elder — J.  G. 
Esslinger.  Deacons — O.  Ragatz,  John  Miller,  Henry  Shelp, 
Israel  Kuter,  Conrad  Pfeil  and  L.  VonWald.  Henry  Roh- 
LAND  was  reelected  and  C.  Kopp  and  G.  A.  Blank  were  newly 
elected  presiding  elders.  Resolved  that  churches  be  built  in 
Madison,  Wis.,  and  Kankakee  and  Pekin,  111. 

Districts:  Peoria,  C.  Kopp,  presiding  elder;  Chicago,  S.  A. 
Tobias;  Madison,  H.  Rohland;  Milwaukee,  G.  A.  Blank. 


310  E  VANGBLICAL  A8S0CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


1855.  Indiana  Conference,  Elkhart  county,  Ind.,  May  30. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president ;  A.  Nicolai,  secretary.  George 
EcKART,  located.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — C.  Heiden, 
Fred.  Geissel,  Wm.  Wessler,  Melchoir  Meyer  and  C.  Wess- 
LiNG.  Ordained  deacons — John  Fuchs,  H.  Strickler,  Wm. 
BocKMAN  and  J.  M.  Kronmiller.  C.  Glaus  resigned  the  office 
of  presiding  elder,  and  S.  Dickover  and  G.  G.  Platz  were 
elected.  A  mission  was  established  in  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  and 
Berrien,  Mich. 

Districts :  St.  Joseph,  G.  G.  Platz,  presiding  elder ;  Wabash, 
S.  Dickover. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


Eleventh  General  Conference,  Held  4t  Lebanon,  Pa., 
Sept.  19,  1855. 

1855.  General  Conference,  eleventh  session,  Lebanon,  Pa., 
Sept.  19.  Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  J.  J.  Esher,  of  Illinois 
Conference,  secretary ;  J.  G.  Wollpert,  of  the  Ohio,  and  Benj. 
Hengst,  of  the  West  Pa.  Conference,  assistants. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  draft  rules  for  the  founding 
and  regulation  of  higher  institutions  of  learning,  which  were 
adopted.  The  conference  further  expressed  its  views  on  educa- 
tion, as  follows:  "On  motion  of  W.  W.  Orwig  it  was  resolved 
that  this  body  concurs  in  the  favorable  sentiment  expressed  at 
several  of  the  former  sessions  of  General  Conference,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  usefulness  and  advantages  of  a  literary  education,  if 
subordinate  to  the  Christian  religion.  Hence  this  conference 
again  declares  itself  in  favor  of  literary  institutions  in  the  Evan- 
gelical Association.  Resolved,  that  the  action  of  the  East  and 
West  Pa.  Conferences,  as  well  as  the  Ohio,  to  erect  and  establish 
seminaries,  is  not  only  approved  and  rejoiced  over,  but  that  this 
conference  wishes  them  success  in  said  undertakings." 

It  was  resolved  to  publish  a  monthly  juvenile  paper,  to  be 
called,  Der  Christliche  Kinderfruend  (The  Christian  Children's 
Friend). 

Bishop  J.  Seybert  having  presented  to  the  conference  ster- 
eotype plates  of  Rambach's  Leiden  Christi,  he  was  accorded  a 
vote  of  thanks,  and  1,500  copies  of  the  work  were  ordered  to  be 
published. 

W.  W,  Orwig  was  urged  to  have  the  History  of  the  Evangel- 
ical Association  ready  for  publication  by  Jan.  i,  1856,  the  first 
edition  to  consist  of  7,000  copies  in  the  German,  and  3,000  in 
the  English  language. 


312  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


The  English  hymn  book  was  ordered  to  be  revised  and  en- 
larged. A  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  Sunday-school 
books  for  publication.  The  editors  and  correspondents  of  the 
Church  periodicals  were  enjoined  to  remain  neutral  in  politics  in 
their  communications. 

A  committee  was  appointed  to  revise  the  Plan  of  Study  for 
junior  preachers. 

"Resolved,  That  the  principal  book  agent  shall  be  allowed  to 
keep  an  assortment  of  good  books  on  hand  in  the  establishment 
for  the  convenience  of  our  preachers,  if  he  should  deem  it  proper 
to  do  so. " 

' '  Resolved,  That  the  functionaries  in  our  book  establishment, 
together  with  the  congregation  at  Cleveland,  be  requested  to 
form  themselves  into  a  Tract  Society,  to  draft  a  constitution  and 
give  a  general  invitation,  through  our  periodicals,  for  member- 
ship in  said  society. 

"The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  shall,  without  delay,  look 
out  for  promising  young  men,  in  order  to  have  them  properly 
trained  land  prepared  for  missionary  services  in  the  heathen 
world." 

The  Wisconsin  Conference  was  formed  of  part  of  the  Illinois, 
John  Sevbert  and  Joseph  Long  were  re-elected  bishops.  Chas. 
Hammer  was  re-elected  chief  book  agent,  C.  G.  Koch  editor  of 
the  Christliche  Botschafter,  and  John  Dreisbach  editor  of  the 
Evangelical  Messenger.  Assets  of  the  Publishing  House  were 
^42,144. 

Delegates  to  General  Conference,  1855. 

East  Pa.  Conference. — J.  P.  Leib,  F.  Hoffman,  F.  Krecker, 
S.  Neitz,  J.  M.  Saylor,  G.  T.  Haines,  Joseph  Gross,  W.  Reber, 
D.  Berger,  J.  C.  Farnsworth,  C.  Meyers,  J.  Scbell,  E.  Bast,  M. 
F.  Maize. 

West  Pa.  Conference. — W.  W.  Orwig,  J.  Boas,  Philip  Wag- 
oner, J.  Dunlap,  B.  Hengst,  M.  J.  Carothers,  E.  Kohr,  J.  M. 
Young,  D.  Kreamer,  S.  Wolf. 

Pittsburg  Conference. — Jacob  Rank,  C.  Lindeman,  D.  N. 
Long,  H.  Hampe,  Joseph  Truby,  Andrew  Stahle,  G.  W.  Cupp. 

New  York  Conference. — W.  Mintz,  W.  Schmidt>  M.  Lauer, 
M.  Lehn,  J.  Kehr,  D.  Fisher. 

Ohio  Conference. — J.  G.  Zinzer,  A.  B.  Shaeffer,  John  Dries- 
bach,  A.  E.  Driesbach,  G.  F.  Spreng,  C.  Hammer,  C.  G.  Koch, 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


313 


E.  Stoever,  J.  G.  Wolpert,  F.  Freeh,  J.  Kanaga,  J.  Bemhart, 
P.  W.  Hahn,  J.  Burkitt,  C.  A.  Munk,  H.  Longbrake,  C.  Idleman. 

Illinois  Conference. — S.  A.  Tobias,  J.  J.  Esher,  J.  Riegel,  C. 
A.  Schnake,  J.  M.  Sindlinger,  J.  P.  Kramer,  J.  G.  Esher,  L.  H. 
Eiterman,  J.  G.  Esslinger. 

Indiana  Conference. — S.  Dickover,  G.  G.  Platz,  J.  Fisher,  J. 
Keiper,  A.  Nicolai. 

1856.  EastPa.Conference,  AUentown,  Pa.,  Feb.  27.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  Solomon  Neitz,  secretary.  E.  Bast, 
located.  F.  Banner  died.  J.  C.  Farnsworth  took  no  appoint- 
ment. L.  Kelly  received  credentials.  Samuel  Werner  was 
licensed  to  preach.  Ordained  elders — E.  Eby,  J.  Yeakel,  N. 
GoEBEL  and  L.  Snyder.  Deacons — H.  Koester,  J.  O.  Lehr, 
M.  Dissinger,  E.  B.  Miller,  L.  Kelly,  T.  Blattenberger, 
T.  Sebold,  I.  Oberholtzer  and  W.  Egge.  Collections  were 
ordered  to  be  taken  in  July  for  the  support  of  superannuated 
preachers,  and  preachers*  widows  and  orphans. 

Frederick  Banner,  whose  death  is  recorded  here,  was  born 
near  Manheim,  Pa.  Entered  the  ranks  of  the  East  Pa.  Confer- 
ence in  1840.  Served  fourteen  years,  two  as  presiding  elder  of 
Lebanon  Bistrict  (1850-51).  His  health  being  feeble  he  was 
compelled  to  locate.    He  died  at  Manheim  in  1855. 

Bistricts :  Philadelphia,  C.  Meyers,  presiding  elder;  Leba- 
non, F.  Krecker;  Orwigsburg,  Solomon  Neitz. 

1856.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Mt.  Zion  Church,  York  county. 
Pa.,  March  5.    Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  L.  May  and  B. 

F.  Hall,  secretaries.  J.  Boas  and  W.  H.  Berry  were  permitted 
to  rest  one  year.  E.  Kohr  and  J.  G.  Miller,  located,  the  lat- 
ter to  go  to  Wisconsin.  Jacob  Henn,  E.  Klinefelter  and  J. 
Zimmerman  were  licensed.  Received-into  the  traveling  connec- 
tion— N.  Boebler,  S.  Aurand,  J.  Henn,  Jacob  Hartzler,  J. 
Zimmerman,  S.  Musser,  Jacob  Young,  G.  Hunter  and  Philip 
Graham.  Ordained  elders — H.  R.  Price,  J.  Young  and  S.  W. 
Seibert.  Beacon — H.  Althouse.  S.  Wolf  was  re-elected 
agent  for  Union  Seminary.  B.  Hengst  was  elected  presiding 
elder.  Middle  Creek  and  Lock  Haven  Circuits  in  Pennsylva- 
nia, and  Harford  Circuit  in  Maryland,  were  formed.  B.  F. 
Hall  was  authorized  to  purchase  a  suitable  conference  book, 
and  record  the  proceedings  of  conference  in  the  English  language. 

Bistricts:  Baltimore,  B.  Hengst,  presiding  elder;  Centre, 
Philip  Wagoner;  Susquehanna,  A.  Longsdorf. 


314 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1856.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Warren, Pa., March  26.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  Charles  Lindeman,  secretary.  Located — 
E.  Peer,  H.  H.  Bucker  and  George  Doll.  Jacob  Rosen- 
BERGER  and  Uriah  Eberhart  took  credentials  for  a  Western 
Conference.  Joseph  Truby  died.  Elias  Beaty  received  license, 
and  A.  T.  Doll,  Joseph  Weber,  D.  S.  Poling  and  E.  Beaty 
were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Jacob  Rosenberger  was 
ordained  elder  and  John  Peuffer  and  A.  T.  Doll  deacons.  G. 
W.  Cupp  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Erie  Mission  was  changed 
into  a  station. 

Districts:  Somerset,  G.W.  Cupp,  presiding  elder ;  Allegheny, 
Jacob  Rank ;  Pittsburg,  C.  Lindeman. 

1856.  New  York  Conference,  Clinton,  Canada,  April  30. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  P.  Alles,  secretary.  W.  Oetzel 
died.  A.  Z.  Gottwals  located.  George  Nott  received  license. 
Received  into  the  itinerancy — George  Eckert  (Indiana  Con- 
ference), Philip  Miller,  George  Clark,  George  Nott,  H. 
HoLTZMAN,  H.  Weiser,  Jacob  Sweitzer,  Thomas  Hauch,  N, 
Geltzelichter  and  S.  Morley.  John  Wagoner  and  J.  D. 
Jenny  were  ordained  elders,  and  G.  Eckert,  L.  Herman,  Joseph 
Umbach,  G.  Clark  and  N.  Schneider  deacons.  M.  Lau^r 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  M.  Lehn  was  elected. 

Districts :  Albany,  W.  Mintz,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  M. 
Lehn;  Canada,  Jacob  Kehr. 

1856.  Ohio  Conference,  Hoffnungs  Church,  Wayne  Co., 
O.,  Rfey  14.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  G.  Wolpert,  sec- 
retary. J.  Rosenberg,  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference,  was  received. 
A,  B.  Shaefer  and  M.  Hoehn  received  a  transfer  to  the  Indiana 
and  T.  M.  Young  to  the  Illinois  Conference.  Ordained  elders — 
J.  G.  Theuer,  J.  Waltz  and  Benjamin  Keller.  Deacons — C. 
RoEHM,  S.  Hoy  and  M.  Miller.  J.  Kanaga  was  appointed 
collector  for  Grecnsburg  Seminary.  John  Dreisbach,  editor 
of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  resigned,  and  T.  G.  Clewell,  of 
the  East  Pa.  Conference,  was  elected. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  G.  F.  Sprcng,  presiding  elder;  San- 
dusky, J.  G.  Zinzer;  Scioto,  A.  E.  Dreisbach. 

1856.  Illinois  Conference,  Freeport,  111.,  April  16.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary.  Located  — 
J.  P.  Kramer,  L.  H.  Eiterman  and  C.  Hummel.  L.  Nauman 
died.  Received  on  probation  —  Henry  Huelster,  A.  Stroh- 
meyer,  C.  Berner,  J.W.  Mohr,  Daniel  B.  Byers,  W.  Stegner, 


CONFEBENGE  RECORDS. 


315 


P.  Held,  George  Shaefer  and  Rudolph  Dubs.  Received  into 
the  itinerancy — J.  Meyer,  W.  Kolb,  M.  Hauert,  George  Mess- 
NER  and  J.  G.  Miller  (the  latter  from  West  Pa.  Conference). 
Ordained  elders — E.  Musselman,  L.  Buehler  and  J.  E.  Auther. 
Deacons — Jacob  Himmel,  J.  Schneider,  Joseph  F.  Schnee, 
G.  Vetter,  J.  E.  Spielman,  Joseph  Gibens  and  Henry  Lage- 
SCHULTE.  Henry  Rohland  resigned  the  office  of  presiding 
elder,  and  S.  A.Tobias,  J.  J.  Esher  and  J.  G.  Esher  were  elected. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  division  of  the  conference 
reported  as  follows:  "The  Illinois  Conference  shall  consist  of 
three  Districts — Peoria,  Chicago  and  Fr«eport.  Peoria  District 
shall  consist  of  Geneseo,  Peru,  Washington  and  Mason  Circuits, 
and  Peoria,  Pekin,  Mount  Pulaski  and  Rock  Island  Missions. 
Chicago  District  shall  consist  of  Des  Plains,  Dunkleys  Grove, 
Naperville  and  Kaneville  Circuits,  Chicago  Station,  and  Chicago, 
Cedar  Lake  and  Kankakee  Missions.  Freeport  District  shall 
consist  of  Cedar  Creek,  Brookville  and  Grandview  Circuits, 
Freeport  Station,  and  Cedar  River  and  Dubuque  Missions.  The 
Wisconsin  Conference  shall  consist  of  two  Districts — Milwaukee 
and  Madison.  Milwaukee  District  shall  consist  of  Greenfield, 
Menomonee,  Sheboygan,  Lomira  and  Jefferson  Circuits,  Racine 
Station,  and  Milwaukee  Mission.  Madison  District  shall  consist 
of  Sauk  and  Fox  River  Circuits,  and  Madison,  Dane  County, 
Monroe,  Oshkosh  and  La  Crosse  Missions." 

The  sum  of  ^131.50  was  raised  at  the  conference  for  the 
establishment  of  a  mission  in  Minnesota. 

Illinois  Conference  Districts :  Peoria,  C.  Kopp,  presiding 
elder ;  Freeport,  S.  A.  Tobias ;  Chicago,  J.  J.  Esher. 

Wisconsin  Conference,  Milwaukee  District,  G.  A.  Blank, 
presiding  elder.  Greenfield  Circuit,  J.  G.  Esslinger  and  H. 
Huelster ;  Menomonee,  Noah  McLain  and  George  Shaffer ;  She- 
boygan, C.  Pfeil  and  W.  Zickerick  ;  Lomira,  O.  Ragatz ;  Jefferson, 
John  Meyer;  Racine,  C.  Augenstein ;  Milwaukee  Mission,  Israel 
Kuter.  Madison  District,  J.  G.  Esher,  presiding  elder.  Madison 
Mission,  J.  G.  Miller ;  Fox  River  Circuit  and  Portage  Mission, 
L.  Buehler  and  A.  Tarnutzer  ;  Monroe  Mission,  Jacob  Sill; 
Dane  County,  M.  Hauert;  Oshkosh,  Augustus  Huelster;  La 
Crosse,  L.  VonWald. 

1856.  Indiana  Conference,  Mt.  Carmel,  111.  Bishop  Jos. 
Long,  president;  A.  Nicolai,  secretary.  C.  Heiden  located. 
M.  Krieger  was  licensed  to  preach.    A.  B.  Schaeffer,  M. 


316  EVAN0BLICALA8S0C1AT10N  ANNALS. 


HOEHN,  L.  Shireman  and  M.  Alsbach,  of  the  Ohio  Conference, 
were  received  into  the  Indiana  Conference.  M.  W.  Steffey 
was  ordained  elder  and  G.  Koch  deacon.  A  new  district  was 
formed  and  A.  B.  Schaeffer  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Wabash,  S.  Dickover,  presiding  elder ;  White 
Water,  A.  B.  Schaeffer;  St.  Joseph,  G.  G.  Platz. 

Note.  — Considerable  advancement  was  made  in  the  year  1856. 
In  the  East  Pa.  Conference  the  Philadelphia  English  Mission,  un- 
der T.  G.  Clewell,  made  an  auspicious  beginning,  with  a  class 
organization  and  flourishing  Sunday-school.  The  work  prospered 
in  LancAster  and  Lebanon.  In  the  West,  Detroit  Mission  was 
founded  and  a  good  beginning  made.  John  Dreisbach,  editor 
of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  was  necessitated,  because  of  bodily 
infirmities,  to  resign  his  office  at  the  session  of  the  Ohio  Confer- 
ence. The  conference,  in  suitable  resolutions,  expressed  its 
appreciation  of  his  long  and  valuable  services  to  the  Church,  and 
sympathy  in  his  afflictions,  and  in  his  stead  elected  T.  G.  Cle- 
well, of  the  East  Pa.  Conference.  A.  Tarnutzer,  junior  preacher 
of  Fox  River  Circuit,  was  sent  to  Minnesota  to  begin  the  work. 
He  reached  Winona  Nov.  8,  and  was  welcomed  by  G.  Hess,  a 
member  of  the  Church  from  Cleveland,  O.  On  the  following 
evening  he  preached  in  Winona.  From  thence  he  went  to  Roll- 
ing Stone  Valley,  where  he  was  welcomed.  A  meeting  was  begun 
and  souls  were  converted.  Afterwards  he  gained  entrance  in 
Rochester,  Olmstead  county.  This  was  the  commencement  of 
our  work  in  Minnesota.  At  the  following  session  of  the  Wiscon- 
sin Conference  three  fields  of  labor  were  formed  in  that  territory. 

1857.  East  Pa.  Conference,  New  York  City,  Feb.  25.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  S.  Neitz,  secretary.  T.  G.  Clewell  re- 
ceived credentials  to  the  Ohio  and  J.  C.  Farnsworth  to  the 
West  Pa.  Conference.  M.  Sindlinger  located.  A.  Boetzel 
was  licensed,  and  H.  Stoetzel  was  again  received  into  the  itin- 
erancy. Ordained  elders — J.  Frey,  S.  P.  Reinoehl,  W.  Yost, 
R.  Yeakel  and  T.  G.  Clewell.  Deacons — R.  Litzenberger, 
F.  Walker,  J.  Werner,  C.  S.  Haman  and  R.  Wright. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  C.  Myers,  presiding  elder ;  Lebanon, 
F.  Krecker;  Orwigsburg,  S.  Neitz. 

1857.  West  Pa.  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  March  12. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  L.  May,  secretary.  J.  C.  Lunger 
withdrew.  B.  F.  Hall  and  J.  Kramer  located.  Received  into 
the  itinerancy — J.  C.  Farnsworth  (of  the  East  Pa.  Conference), 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


817 


E.  KoHR,  Samuel  Smith,  D.  L.  Sutton  and  George  Hunter. 
Ordained  elders — G.  W.  F.  Young,  A.  L.  Reeser  and  N.  Doeb- 
ler.  Deacons — H.  Broadbeck  and  G.  Rishel.  S.  Wolf  was 
re-elected  agent  for  Union  Seminary.  J.  Dunlap  was  elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  B.  Hengst,  presiding  elder;  Centre, 
P.  Wagoner ;  Susquehanna,  J.  Dunlap. 

1857.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Zion  Church,  Westmoreland 
county,  Pa.,  April  i.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  C.  Lindeman 
and  D.  N.  Long,  secretaries.  Joseph  Trubv  and  Jacob  Frey 
died.  A.  Bower  withdrew  from  the  Church.  S.  F.  Crowther 
was  licensed.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — J.  L.  W.  Seibert, 
James  Croasman,  J.  Shaefer,  A.  R.  Teats  and  S.  F.  Crowther. 

A.  NiEBEL  was  elected  presiding  elder.  J.  Weber  and  W.  B. 
Poling  located.    Ordained  elders — A.  Long,  W.  B.  Pfeufer, 

B.  L.  Miller,  L.  D.  Reichman  and  W.  B.  Poling.  Deacons — 
W.  Fisher  and  A.  R.  Teats. 

The  report  of  the  committee  appointed  to  arrange  a  union 
with  the  Ohio  Conference,  in  the  interests  of  Greensburg  Semi- 
nary, was  received,  and  the  agent  of  said  institution  was  invited 
to  collect  funds  within  the  bounds  of  the  conference. 

Districts  :  Somerset,  G.  W.  Cupp,  presiding  elder ;  Allegheny, 
A.  Niebel;  Pittsburg,  C.  Lindeman. 

1857.  New  York  Conference,  Lyons,  N.Y.,  April22.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  M.  Lauer,  secretary.  F.  Scharffe  and 
N.  Geltzlichter  located.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — J. 
Stabler,  A.  Spies,  S.  Krupp,  D.  Dibble  and  M.  Pfitzinger. 
Ordained  elders — E.  G.  Stabler  and  P.  J.  Muller.  Deacon — • 
A.  Kline.  Croghan,  Liverpool,  South  Buffalo  and  Oxford  Mis- 
sions were  formed. 

Districts :  Albany,  W.  Mintz,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  M. 
Lehn;  Canada,  J.  Kehr. 

1857.  Ohio  Conference,  Bristol,  O.,  May  23.  Bishop  J. 
Long,  president;  J.  G.  Wolpert,  secretary.  Located — A.  E. 
Dreisbach,  J.  Erb,  p.  W.  Hahn,  Jacob  Ressler,  Geo.  Berry, 
J.  Strohm,  G.  H.  Behner  and  G.  M.  Reinhold.  John  Lentz 
took  credentials  for  another  conference.  Died  — Michael  Wal- 
ter, Shem  Sager  and  Jacob  Spring.  T.  G.  Clewell,  editor 
of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  was  received  as  a  member  of  con- 
ference. Received  into  the  itinerancy — Jacob  Shaeffer,  George 
Doll,  P.  Wiest,  C.  Haldeman,  D.  Swartz,  David  Rohland, 


318  E  VANQELICAL  ASSOCIA  Tl ON  ANNALS. 


J.  A.  RuppERT,  Elias  Kraus  and  John  Haug.  J.  G.  Wolpert, 
missionary  to  Germany.  Ordained  elder — J.  P.  Schnatz.  Dea- 
cons— H.  F.  Strouch,  John  Stull,  Jacob  Ressler,  H.  Cover, 
Jacob  Shaeffer,  J.  Hoehn,  George  Schott,  Joseph  Keiser 
and  C.  Haldeman.    George  Haley  was  elected  presiding  elder, 

A  resolution  was  passed  recommending  that  district  ministe- 
rial conventions  be  held,  under  the  presidency  of  the  presiding 
elders,  for  the  purpose  of  discussing  biblical  subjects  and  matters 
of  general  interest,  for  the  welfare  of  the  Church. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  G.  Haley,  presiding  elder ;  Scioto,  G, 
F.  Spreng;  Sandusky,  J.  G.  Zinzer. 

1857,  Illinois  Conference,  Washington, 111.,  April  2  2.  Bishop 
J.  Sevbert,  president;  C.  Kopp,  secretary.  Received  into  the 
itinerancy — G.  M.  Young,  Adam  Rohrbach,  William  Lechler 
and  Henry  Hintze.  C.  Kopp  resigned  the  office  of  presiding 
elder,  and  John  Riegel  and  Wm.  Kolb  were  elected.  Ordained 
elder — John  Miller,  Jr.  Deacons — John  Kurtz,  H.  Roth- 
mund, F.  Schreiber  and  John  Dengel.  The  work  in  Iowa  was 
constituted  a  presiding  elder  district.  Rush  Creek  Circuit  and 
North  Bend  Mission  were  formed,  and  missions  established  in 
Kansas  and  Nebraska. 

Districts:  Chicago,  J.  J.  Esher,  presiding  elder;  Freeport, 
S.  A.  Tobias ;  Peoria,  J.  Riegel ;  Iowa,  W.  Kolb.  Charges  in 
Iowa:  Grandview,  J.  Schneider;  North  Bend  Mission,  Joseph 
Gibens,  Jr.;  Cedar  River,  J.  ScbafHeand  J.  W.  Mohr;  Dubuque,, 
Henry  Schelp  and  R.  Dubs. 

1857,  Indiana  Conference,  East  Germantown,  Ind.,  Sept. 
23.  Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  A.  B.  Schaeffer,  secretary. 
H.  Strickler  died.  P.  Getz  and  A.  Nicolai  located.  Con. 
Kohlmeyer  and  C.Ude  were  newly  received,  and  George  Kloep- 
FER,  D.  Bartholomew,  H.  Kramer,  D.  Gorell,  Joshua  Paulin, 
Con.  Kohlmeyer,  C.  Ude,  E.  Kiplinger  and  Jacob  Trometer 
were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Ordained  elders — John 
FucHS,  J.  M.  Kronmiller  and  William  Bockman.  Deacons  — 
Michael  Alsbach,  F.  Geisel,  M.  Meyer,  C.  Wessling  and  W. 
Wessler.  Philip  Bretsch  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Carmi 
and  Calhoun  Missions  and  Yellow  River  Circuit  were  established. 

Districts :  Wabash,  P.  Bretsch,  presiding  elder ;  White  River, 
A.  B.  Schaeffer;  St.  Joseph,  G.  G.  Platz. 

1857.  Wisconsin  Conference  held  its  first  annual  session 
in  Zion  Church,  five  miles  east  of  Jefferson,  Wis. ,  May  6.  Bishop 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


319 


J.  Seybert,  president;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary.  Located  — 
C.  AuGENSTEiN  and  J.  Meyer.  Received  into  the  itinerancy 
— John  Hammeter,  P.  Massuger  and  George  VonEschen. 
Ordained  elders — Israel  Kuter,  Con.  Pfeil,  L.  Vonwald,  O. 
Ragatz  and  J.  Meyer.  Deacons — J.  Sills,  A.  Tarnutzer, 
Augustus  Huelster  and  W.  Zickerick.  The  work  in  Min- 
nesota was  divided  into  three  fields — St.  Paul,  St.  Peters  and 
Winona  Missions. 

Districts :  Milwaukee,  G.  A.  Blank,  presiding  elder ;  Madi- 
son, J.  G.  Esher. 

Note.  — This  year  is  marked  by  many  notable  events  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Church,  among  them  the  building  of  the  first  Evangelical 
Church  in  Minnesota,  at  St.  Paul,  which  was  dedicated  Oct.  ii. 
The  first  church  in  Iowa  was  built  at  Grandview,  and  dedicated 
Nov.  27.  The  second  in  that  State  was  built  at  Independence, 
in  1858,  and  the  third  at  Green  Castle,  in  1859.  This  year  also 
marks  the  appearance  of  the  first  history  of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation by  W.  W.  Orwig.  The  missionary  interests  of  the  Church 
flourished.  Rev.  J.  G.Wolpert  was  sent  as  additional  missionary 
to  Germany,  while  in  the  periodicals  appear  acknowledgments 
of  funds  received  for  a  heathen  mission.  This  year  the  first 
district  ministerial  convention  in  the  history  of  the  Church  was 
held  at  Greensburg,  O.,  Sept.  29,  and  continued  three  days. 
This  was  favorably  noted  by  the  periodicals,  and  the  general 
introduction  of  such  conventions  recommended.  An  examination 
of  the  program  and  the  editorial  comments,  shows  the  charac- 
ter of  the  convention  to  have  been  the  same  as  those  of  more 
recent  times. 

1858.  East  Pa. Conference,  Weissport,  Pa.,  Feb.  24.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  S.  Neitz,  secretary.  Received  into  the 
itinerancy — Joseph  Specht,  M.  Guhl,  Jesse  Young,  Edmund 
BuTZ,  I.  Overholtzer,  Jos.  Kutz  and  A.  Boetzel.  Ordained 
elders — H.  Stoetzel,  H.  Ko-ester,  T.  Sebold,  E.  B.  Miller, 
T.  Plattenberger,  F.  P.  Lehr  and  J.  O.  Lehr.  Deacons  — 
W.  Bachman,  J.  Zern,  J.  H.  Miller,  J.Young  and  H.  Kempfer. 
Missions  were  located  in  North  Philadelphia,  New  York  City 
and  New  Rochelle.    F.  Hoffman  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  C.  Myers,  presiding  elder  ;  Lebanon, 
F.  Hoffman;  Orwigsburg,  S.  Neitz. 

1858.  West  Pa.  Conference,  New  Kingston,  Pa.,  March  11. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  B.  Hengst,  secretary.  Died — Jacob 


320  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Nees  and  J.  G.  Bartch.  Located — M.  J.  Carothers,  D.  L. 
Sutton  and  George  Bellinger.  D.  Kramer  was  elected  agent 
for  Union  Seminary.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — J.  Clair,  J. 
Kramer,  W.  H.  Gottwald,  G.  P.  Weaver  and  Albert  Sommer- 
viLLE.    Ordained  elder — H.  Althouse.    Deacons  —  S.  Aurand, 

D.  W.  Miller,  J.  Hartzler  and  J.  Henn.  E.  Kohr  was  elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts:    Baltimore,  B.  Hengst,  presiding  elder;  Centre, 

E.  Kohr;  Susquehanna,  J.  Dunlap. 

1858.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  March  24. 
Bishops  Seybert  and  Long  were  both  present.  C.  Lindeman, 
secretary.  Located — A.  T.  Doll  and  J.  Rank.  Again  received 
— J.  Weaver,  Philip  Swilley  and  J.  Honecker.  Newly  re- 
ceived— J.  Ream,  J.  C.  Bender,  A.  Weaver  and  D.  Strayer. 
Ordained  elder — J.  Pfeuffer.  Deacons — B.  Shade,  J.  Weaver, 
E.  Beatty,  J.  Croasman  and  D.  S.  Poling.  A.  Niebel  resigned 
the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  A.  Stable  and  J.  Weikel  were 
elected. 

Districts :  Pittsburg,  'A.  Stahle,  presiding  elder ;  Allegheny, 
J.  Weikel;  Somerset,  G.  W.  Cupp. 

1858.  Ohio  Conference,  Salem  Church,  Marion  Co.,  O., 
May  13.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  C.  G.  Koch,  secretary. 
P.  Swartz  was  dismissed  from  conference.  Located — Benjamin 
Keller,  D.  Rohland,  J.  A.  Ruppert  and  C.  Idleman.  Died — 
H.  Longbrake,  John  Erb,  Jacob  Kleinfelter  and  George 
Berry.  Received  on  trial — Andrew  Swartz,  F.  Zeller,  Daniel 
Heininger,  J.  Haldeman,  J.  Ressler,  C.  Thomas,  D.  Eckert, 
Jonas  Hager  and  J.  Hoehn.  Ordained  elders — M.  J.  Miller, 
D.  Swartz,  C.  Ream  and  Samuel  Hoy.  Deacons — C.Tramer, 
R.  Spatz  and  Simeon  Swartz.  D.  Strohman  was  elected  pre- 
siding elder. 

Districts :  Cleveland,  G.  F.  Spreng,  presiding  elder ;  San- 
dusky, G.  Haley ;  Scioto,  D.  Strohman ;  Michigan,  J.  G.  Zinzer. 

M.  J.  Miller  and  Philip  Porr  were  appointed  to  the  Mis- 
souri and  Kansas  Missions.  Miller  arrived  at  Leavenworth, 
Kan.,  Aug.  9,  where  a  number  of  members  resided,  among  them 
J.  G.  Ettinger,  four  miles  west  of  Leavenworth,  who  received 
him  with  joy.  At  Lawrence  and  Franklin  he  found  members 
who  had  been  organized  into  classes  by  Bro.  Fleisher.  Kansas 
City,  Mo.,  was  visited  and  a  preaching  place  secured.    On  the 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


321 


whole,  the  brethren  succeeded  very  well,  and  a  firm  footing  was 
gained  in  Missouri  and  Kansas. 

A  plan  of  study  for  preachers  was  adopted,  and  500  copies 
of  the  same  were  ordered  to  be  printed.  Michigan  District  was 
formed.  Zanesville  was  taken  up  as  a  mission.  A  mission  was 
established  in  Kansas  and  Missouri,  and  the  preachers  were  direct- 
ed to  take  up  collections  on  their  charges  for  the  same. 

Henry  Longbrake  was  born  in  Fairfield  county, O.,  Sept.  26, 
1809,  entered  the  ranks  of  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1838,  and 
spent  about  fifteen  years  in  the  itinerancy.  He  was  one  of  the 
leading  men  of  his  conference.  He  died  in  Hancock  county,  O., 
June  24,  1857. 

1858.  Illinois  Conference,  Spring  Creek  Church,  Stephen- 
son county,  111.,  April  21.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  J. 
EsHER,  .secretary.  Died — P.  Woodring,  H.  Aslbach  and  J. 
Gebhart.  Located — C.  Kopp  and  L.  H.  Eiterman.  Ordained 
elders — Joseph  Gibens,  Jacob  Himmel,  H.  L.  Schulde,  J.  F. 
ScHNEE,  John  Schneider,  George  Vetter,  J.  C.  Spielman  and 
H.  Shelp.  Deacons — J.  W.  Mohr,  R.  Dubs,  A.  Strohmeier, 
W.  Lechler  and  D.  B.  Byers.  L.  Eberhart,  of  the  West  Pa. 
Conference,  was  received.  Bloomington,  111.,  and  Muscatine, 
Cedar  River,  Waterloo  and  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  Missions  were 
established. 

Districts :  Chicago,  J.  J.  Esher ;  Free  ort,  S.  A.  Tobias; 
Peoria,  John  Riegel ;  Iowa,  William  Kolb. 

J.  F.  Schreiber  was  appointed  to  Nebraska  Mission.  He 
began  his  labor  at  Council  Bluffs.  By  the  end  of  the  conference 
year  he  had  secured  a  number  of  appointments,  mostly  in  the 
vicinity  of  Council  Bluffs.  This  was  the  commencement  of  our 
work  in  Nebraska. 

1858.  Indiana  Conference,  Bethlehem  Church,  St.  Joseph 
county,  Ind.,  Sept.  8.  Bishop  Joseph  Long,  president;  A.  B. 
Schaeffer,  secretary.  P.  Swartz,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  was 
received.  John  Hoffman  was  licensed.  John  Hoffman  and 
M.  Klaiber  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  B.  Ruh  was 
ordained  elder,  and  Michael  Kreuger,  deacon.  Vandalia, 
Cicero  and  Waupecong  Missions  were  established.  A.  Nicolai, 
a  former  missionary  in  Germany,  was  received  and  took  an 
appointment. 

Districts  :  Wabash,  P.  Bretsch,  presiding  elder;  White  Water, 
A.  B.  Schaeffer;  St.  Joseph,  G.  G.  Platz. 


323 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  A2<rNAL8. 


1858.  New  York  Conference,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  April  21. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  M.  Lauer,  secretary.  The  work 
in  Canada  was  divided  into  Hamilton  and  Waterloo  Districts. 

1858.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Salem  Church,  Prairie  Du 
Sac,  Wis.,  May  6.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  C.  A.  Schnake, 
secretary.  The  missions  in  Minnesota  were  reported  as  very 
prosperous. 

Note. — The  leading  event  of  this  year  in  the  Association  was 
the  establishment  of  the  Missouri,  Nebraska  and  Kansas  Missions, 
as  well  as  the  extensive  development  of  the  work  in  the  North- 
west. The  many  and  strong  editorials  and  numerous  communi- 
cations on  the  subject  in  the  periodicals,  indicate  a  glowing 
missionary  spirit. 

1859.  East  Pa. Conference,  Lancaster,  Pa.,  Feb.  23.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  F.  Krecker,  secretary.  D.  Berger  and 
S.  P.  Reinoehl  were  given  permission  to  rest  one  year.  J. 
Young  and  I.  Oberholtzer,  located.  J.  Eckert  was  granted 
credentials.  Joseph  Werner,  F.  Walker,  R.  Litzenberger, 
C.  S.  Haman  and  Moses  Dissinger  were  ordained  elders,  and 
M.  GuHL,  J.  Schneider,  B.  Gresslev,  D.  Witmer  and  C.  H. 
Baker,  deacons.  J.  Miller  and  J.  Kurtz  were  licensed  on 
trial.  M.  Sindlinger  was  again,  and  J.  A.  Apgar,  Jacob 
Schneider  and  Thomas  Bowman  were  newly  received  into  the 
itinerancy. 

Districts :  Philadelphia,  C.  Meyers,  presiding  elder ;  Leba- 
non, F.  Hoffman ;  Orwigsburg,  S.  Neitz. 

1859.  West  Pa.  Conference,  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  3. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  L.  May,  secretary.  Died — G.  W, 
F.  Young  and  S.  Peters.  Located — A.  Summerville  and  S. 
Wolf.  W.  H.  Gottwald  and  G.  Weber  withdrew  from  the 
Church.  J.  DuNLAP  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and 
took  credentials  for  the  Illinois  Conference.  P.  Wagoner  was 
elected  presiding  elder,  and  J.  Kramer  agent  of  Union  Semi- 
nary. M.  Walter  was  licensed  on  trial,  and  Z.  Hornberger, 
S.  Davis,  M.  Walter,  S.  D.  Bennington  and  W.  M.  Harris 
were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Ordained  elders — P.  Gra- 
ham and  H.  Broadbeck.  Deacons — J.  Zimmerman,  Jacob 
Clair,  S.  Smith  and  Z.  Hornberger. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  B.  Hengst,  presiding  elder ;  Centre,  E. 
Kohr ;  Susquehanna,  P,  Wagoner. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


823 


1859.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Salem  Church,  Armstrong 
county,  Pa.,  March  17.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  A.  Niebel 
and  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  secretaries.  Charles  Lindeman  and  J, 
C.  Bender,  located.  S.  B.  Kring  was  permitted  to  rest  a  year. 
A.  Weaver  died.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — Jabob  Rank 
(again),  George  Domer  and  J.  Q.  A.  Weller.  Ordained  elder 
A.  R.  Teats.    Deacon — S.  F.  Crowther. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  A.  Stahle,  presiding  elder;  Somerset, 
G.  W.  Cupp  ;  Allegheny,  J.  Weikel. 

1859.  New  York  Conference, ' '  Stone  Church, "  North  East- 
hope,  Canada,  April  20.  Bishop  Joseph  Long,  president;  Wm. 
Schmidt,  secretary.  S.  Marlev,  located.  L.  Jacobv  and  J. 
Kehr  were  permitted  to  rest  a  year.  C.  A.  Thomas  and  F.  BoL- 
LER  were  licensed,  and  A.  Mueller,  J.  Kechele,  L.  Wildfang, 
G.  BiSH  and  C.  A.  Thomas  were  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
Ordained  elder — A.  Klein.  Deacons — A.  Spies,  M.  Pfitzinger. 
T.  Hauch,  S.  Kropp,  p.  Winkler  and  U.  Graves.  Hamilton 
District  was  discontinued. 

Districts :  Albany,  S.  Weber,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  M. 
Lehn  ;  Waterloo  (Canada),  W.  Schmidt. 

1859.  Ohio  Conference,  Emanuel's  Church,  Morrow  county, 
Ohio,  May  18.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  C.  G.  Koch,  sec- 
retary. Located  —  F.  Frech,  J.  Hoehn,  J.  Hager  and  C. 
Haldeman.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — C.  M.  Reinhold, 
G.  F.  Behner,  E.  Loos,  W.  Eckley,  H.  Longbrake,  F.  G. 
Bachman,  Wm.  Wonder  and  T.  George.  Ordained  elders — 
C.  Thomas,  H.  Cover,  John  Stoll,  H.  T.  Strauch  and  C. 
Haldeman.  Deacons — E.  B.  Crouse,  J.  M.  Hough,  F.  R, 
ToTHERO  and  S.  K.  Miesse.  C.  A.  Munk  was  elected  presid- 
ing elder.  Subscriptions  were  ordered  to  be  taken,  immediately 
after  conference,  on  all  the  charges,  for  the  support  of  Kansas 
and  Missouri  Missions. 

Districts :  Cleveland,  G.  F.  Spreng,  presiding  elder ;  San- 
dusky, George  Haley  ;  Scioto,  Daniel  Strohman  ;  Michigan,  C. 
A.  Munk. 

1859.  Illinois  Conference,  Brookville,  111.,  April  27.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president ;  J.  J.  Esher,  secretary.  Located — J.  C. 
Anthes,  C.  Pfeil,  H.  Libke  and  G.  Messner.  Received  on 
probation — A.  Guckley  and  P.  M.  Welty.  Received  into  the 
itinerancy — H.  Bucks,  (of  the  East  Pa.  Conference),  H.  Klein- 
sorge  and  A.  Gockley.    Ordained  elders — J.  F.  Schreiber, 


324 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


John  Kurtz  and  J.  Dengel.  Deacons — H.  Hintze,  A.  Heil- 
MAN,  J.  Schweitzer  and  C.  Berner.  Wm.  Kolb  resigned  the 
office  of  presiding  elder,  and  Wm.  Strassburger  was  elected. 
The  following  circuits  were  formed :  Deer  Grove,  Plainfield, 
Rock  Run,  Hampshire  and  Brookville.  The  missions  formed 
were:  Aurora  (III.),  and  Dubuque,  Independence  and  Green- 
castle,  in  Iowa. 

Districts:  Chicago,  J.  J.  Esher,  presiding  elder;  Freeport, 
S.  A.  Tobias ;  Peoria,  J.  Riegel ;  Iowa,  Wm.  Strassburger. 

1859.  Indiana  Conference,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  Sept.  7. 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  president;  M.  Hoehn,  secretary.  Newly 
licensed — P.  Roth,  Michael  Gomer  and  E.  Evans.  Received 
into  the  itinerancy — G.  A.  Hertle,  S.  Blauser,  P.  Roth,  M. 
Gomer  and  E.  Evans  (newly),  and  R.  Riegel,  of  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference. Ordained  elders  —  M.  Alsbach,  F.  G.  Geisel,  C. 
Wessling,  M.  Meier,  J.  Trometter  and  G.  Kloepfer.  Deacons 
— C.  Colmeier,  C.  Ude,  J.  Paulin,  D.  Bartholemew,  E.  Kip- 
plinger  and  John  Riegel  (again).  P.  Bretsch  and  A.  B. 
Shaeffer  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  because  of  bodily 
infirmities,  and  Joseph  Fisher  and  M.  W.  Steffev  were  elected. 

Districts :  Wabash,  M.  W.  Steffey,  presiding  elder ;  White 
Water,  G.  G.  Platz  ;  St.  Joseph,  J.  Fisher. 

1859.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Racine,  Wis.,  May  1 1.  Bishop 
J.  Seybert,  president;  H.  Huelster,  secretary.  O.  Ragatz, 
located.  Received  on  probation — C.  Lahr,  F.  Huelster,  F. 
Schroeder,  J.  Rasskopf,  a.  Niehrens  and  W.  Frederick. 
Received  into  the  itinerancy — C.  Lahr,  W.  Frederick,  F. 
Huelster,  F.  Schroeder  and  J.  Rasskopf.  Ordained  elders 
— A.  Tarnutzer,  a.  Huelster  and  W.  Zickerick.  Deacons 
— J.  Hammetter,  G.  Von  Eschen  and  P.  Massueger.  L. 
Buehler  was  newly  elected  and  G.  A.  Blank  re-elected  presid- 
ing elder.  Minnesota  District  was  formed.  St.  Peter's  Mission 
was  formed  into  Cannon  River,  New  Ulm  and  Upper  Mississippi 
Missions. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  J.  G.  Esher,  presiding  elder;  Madi- 
son, G.  A.  Blank;  Minnesota,  L.  Buehler. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


Twelfth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Napervillk,  III., 

Oct.  s,  1859. 

1859.  General  Conference,  twelfth  session,  Naperville,  111., 
Oct.  5.  Bishops  John  Seybert  and  Joseph  Long,  and  all  the 
delegates  but  one  were  in  attendance.  Bishop  Long  opened  the 
conference.  C.  G.  Koch,  secretary  j  B,  Hengst  and  J.  J. 
EsHER,  assistants. 

The  constitution  of  the  Missionary  Society  was  materially 
changed.  A  General  Board  was  created,  to  consist  of  one  dele- 
gate from  each  annual  conference,  with  a  corresponding  secre- 
tary to  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  office,  and  collect  funds 
throughout  the  Church.  Action  was  also  taken  looking  to  the 
establishment  of  a  heathen  mission.  A  Missionary  Department 
was  ordered  to  be  maintained  in  the  Church  periodicals.  The 
Missionary  Board  was  advised  to  locate  a  mission  in  Switzerland. 

The  Board  of  Publication  was  created,  and  ordered  to  be  in- 
corporated. Said  Board  to  be  composed  of  seven  members,  to 
be  elected  by  the  General  Conference. 

It  was  resolved  that  as  soon  as  the  Christliche  Botschafier 
and  Evangelical  Messenger  have  an  aggregate  circulation  of 
15,000  they  shall  be  published  weekly.  An  English  Sunday- 
school  paper,  to  be  called  the  Sunday-School  Messenger,  was 
ordered  to  be  published  as  soon  as  5,000  subscribers  are  assured. 
The  larger  Catechism  was  ordered  to  be  improved  by  printing 
the  references  in  small  type,  and  the  smaller  Catechism  to  be 
translated  into  English  and  published. 

A  committee,  composed  of  Bishops  Long  and  Orwig,  and 
C.  G.  Koch  and  T.  G.  Clewell  were  appointed  to  prepare  a 
course  of  study  for  junior  preachers.  (A  similar  committee  had 
been  appointed  for  this  purpose  by  the  last  General  Conference, 


326  EVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


but  it  had  not  attended  to  the  matter.)  It  was  resolved  that  the 
editors  and  publishers  shall  always  be  eligible  for  election.  The 
committee  on  revision  of  the  Discipline  reported  a  chapter  rela- 
tive to  the  appointment  and  duties  of  stewards,  and  a  form  of 
recommendation  for  applicants  for  the  ministry,  which  were 
adopted. 

It  was  resolved  that  a  Sunday-School  and  Tract  Union  be 
organized,  to  be  located  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  a  committee, 
consisting  of  J.  G.  Zinzer,  Joseph  Long,  C.  G.  Koch  and  T. 
G.  Clewell,  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  constitution  for  said 
union,  and  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements  for  its  establish- 
ment, the  constitution  to  be  submitted  to  the  annual  conferences, 
which  are  to  organize  themselves  into  auxiliaries. 

Iowa  District,  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  Minnesota 
District,  of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  besides  the  mission  fields 
in  Nebraska,  Missouri  and  Kansas,  were  constituted  a  new  con- 
ference, called  Iowa  Conference.  The  name  of  the  West  Pa., 
was  changed  to  the  Central  Pa.  Conference. 

John  Sevbert  and  Joseph  Long  were  re-elected,  and  W.  W. 
Orwig,  was  newly  elected  to  the  office  of  bishop.  C.  G.  Koch 
was  re-elected  editor  of  the  Christliche  Botschafter,'Y.  G.  Clewell 
editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  and  Charles  Hammer 
chief  book  agent.  Reuben  Yeakel  was  elected  corresponding 
secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society. 

Delegates. — East  Fa.  Conference. — F.  Hoffman,  J.  P.  Leib, 
S,  Neitz,  C.  Myers,  F.  Krecker,  W.  L.  Reber,  H.  Stetzel,  J. 
Yeakel  and  J.  Breitenstein.  Alternates — G.  T.  Haines,  S.  G. 
Rhoads,  J.  Koehl. 

West  Pa.  Conference.—^.  Kohr,  W.  W.  Orwig,  B.  Hengst, 
P.Wagoner,  M.  J.  Carothers,  D.  Kramer,  A.  Longsdorf.  Alter- 
nates— J.  Dunlap,  L.  May,  J.  M.  Young. 

Pittsburg  Conference. — A.  Stahley,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  C. 
Lindeman,  A,  Niebel.  Alternates — ^J.  G.  Pfeuffer,  G.  W.  Cupp. 

N.  Y.  Conference.— .  Schmidt,  S.  Weber,  M.  Lehn,  F. 
Herlan.    Alternates — D.  Fisher,  T.  Schneider. 

Wisconsin  Conference. — G.  A.  Blank,  J.  G.  Esher,  C.  A. 
Schnacke. 

Ohio  Conference. — John  Dreisbach,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  G.  F. 
Spreng,  C.  Hammer,  C.  G.  Koch,  G.  Haley,  T.  G.  Clewell,  D. 
Strohman,  J.  Nicolai,  C.  A.  Munk.  Alternates — C.  Idleman, 
J.  J.  Kopp,  G.  F.  Behner. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


327 


Illinois  Conference. — J.  J.  Esher,  S.  A.  Tobias,  J.  Riegel,  W. 
Strassberger,  H.  Rohland,  C.  Augenstein,  C.  Kopp,  J.  P. 
Kreamer,  S.  Dickover.  Alternates — S.  Musselman,  H.  Bucks, 
L.  Eberhart. 

Indiana  Conference. — A.  B.  Shaefer,  G.  G.  Platz,  J.  Fisher, 
M.  W.  StefEey,  P.  Bretsch. 

1860.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Annville,  Pa.,  Feb.  29.  Bishop 
W.  W.  Orwig,  president;  Jesse  Yeakel,  secretary.  E.  Bast 
withdrew  from  the  Church.  Abraham  Frey  (local)  died.  K.. 
Deisher,  G.  Gaumer,  W.  Heim  and  Joseph  Werner,  located. 
George  Harm  was  licensed  on  trial.  A.  Schultz  was  again 
received.  T.  Harper,  H.  Kempfer,  J.  Steltzer,  D.  Yingst, 
L.  Schmidt,  G.  B.  Fisher  and  S.  S.  Chubb  were  received  into 
the  itinerancy.  Ordained  elders — J.  Zern  and  W.  H.  Bachman. 
Deacons — E.  Butz,  J.  Specht,  T.  Harper,  A.  Boetzel  and  J. 
Bertolett.  S.  Neitz  was  re-elected  and  G.  T.  Haines  and  L. 
Snyder  were  newly  elected  presiding  elders.  "The  custom  of 
retaining  in  the  itinerancy  such  preachers  who  had  located  was 
abolished."  It  was  resolved  to  organize  a  Sunday-School  and 
Tract  Union,  auxiliary  to  the  Parent  Society  of  the  Evangelical 
Association.  Suitable  action  was  taken  on  the  death  of  Bishop 
Seybert. 

Districts :  Philadelphia,  G.  T.  Haines,  presiding  elder ;  Le- 
high, S.  Neitz ;  Lebanon,  F.  Hoffman ;  Orwigsburg,  L.  Snyder. 

1860.  Central  Pa.  Conference, Williamsport,  Pa.,  March  8. 
Bishop  W.W.Orwig,  president;  L.  May,  secretary;  M.  J.  Caro- 
thers  and  S.  Wolf  became  effective.  Licensed  to  preach — A. 
H.  Irvine,  F.  C.  Hoffman,  E.  Conser  and  George  Focht. 
Received  into  the  itinerancy — Michael  Sloat,  F.  C.  Hoffman, 
S.  T.  Buck,  A.  H.  Irvine,  D.  W.  Miller,  H.  A.  Deatrick,  J. 
M.  McGaw  and  A.  Rearick.  Ordained  elders — S.  Aurand  and 
J.  Hartzler.  Deacons — D.  Kepner,  S.  Bookman  and  George 
Dressler.  Jacob  Young  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Agent 
for  Union  Seminary,  S.  Wolf.  An  auxiliary  Sunday-School  and 
Tract  Society  was  formed.  It  was  resolved  that  ministers  engaged 
in  literary  institutions  shall  be  considered  as  sustaining  itinerant 
relations. 

Districts  :  Baltimore,  Jacob  Young,  presiding  elder ;  Centre, 
E.  Kohr;  Susquehanna,  P.  Wagoner. 

1860.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Bethel  Church,  Indiana  county. 
Pa.,  March  22.   W.  W.  Orwig,  president;  A.  Niebel,  secretary. 


328  E  VANOELICAL  A880CIA  Tl  ON  ANNALS. 


Jacob  Rank  located.  D.  N.  Long  and  H,  W.  Pfeuffer  were 
granted  credentials.  C.  Lindeman,  C.  Stauffer,  J.  Bernhart, 
Sr.,  H.  J.  Bowman,  M.  H.  Shannon,  W.  Smith,  G.  W.  ReIs- 
inger,  E.  Peer  and  H.  McBride  were  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
Ordained  elders — G.  W.  Fisher,  J.  Grossman,  D.  S.  Poling 
and  E.  Beatty.  Deacons — J.  Reams,  G.  W.  Reisinger,  L.  B. 
DoNMEYER  and  J.  H.  Shaffer.  A.  Niebel  and  J.  L.  W.  Seibert 
were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Pittsburg,  A.  Stable,  presiding  elder ;  Cleveland, 
A.  Niebel ;  Allegheny,  J.  Weikel,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert. 

1860.  New  York  Conference,  Lockport,  N.  Y.,  April  18. 
Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig,  president ;  M.  Lauer,  secretary.  Ordained 
elders — J.  Stabler,  H.  Holyman,  and  D.'Dippel.  Deacons — 
F.  LoHMEYER  and  U.  Graves.  S.  Weber  resigned  the  office  of 
presiding  elder,  and  M.  Lauer,  L.  Jacobi  and  J.  D.  Jenni  were 
elected.  The  work  in  Canada  was  again  divided  into  two  districts. 

Districts:  Albany,  L.  Jacobi,  presiding  elder;  Buffalo,  M. 
Lauer ;  Hamilton,  J.  D.  Jenni ;  Waterloo,  W.  Schmidt. 

1860.  Ohio  Conference,  Flat  Rock,  O.,  May  16.  Bishop 
W.  W.  Orwig,  president ;  G.  F.  Spreng,  secretary.    Located — 

E.  Loos,  J.  Haldeman  and  A.  Yambert.  Died — A.  Hennig, 
John  Riegel  and  John  Betz.  Received  into  the  itinerancy  on 
trial — John  Meck,  Stephen  Henni,  L.  C.  Morse,  F.  R.  Tothero, 

F.  W.  Walkey,  L.  H.  Lindner  and  E.  Boyer;  also  F.  Frech 
and  W.  H.  Pfeuffer  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference.  Ordained 
elders — C.  Tramer,  S.  Swartz,  C.  M.  Reinhold,  J.  Ressler, 
and  J.  Shaffer.  Deacons — Andrew  Swartz,  F.  Zeller,  E. 
Loos,  D.  Heininger,  F.  R. Tothero,  J.  Haldeman,  J.  McQuil- 
len  and  C.  Deike.  An  auxiliary  branch  of  the  Sunday-School 
and  Tract  Union  was  formed.  Resolutions  denouncing  secret 
and  oath-bound  societies  were  adopted.  M.  J.  Miller  and  P. 
PoRR,  missionaries  in  Kansas,  were  granted  credentials  to  the 
Iowa  Conference.  Inasmuch  as  conference  was  held  in  close 
proximity  to  the  grave  of  Bishop  Seybert,  recently  deceased,  a 
very  impressive  memorial  service  was  held  at  his  grave. 

Districts:  Wayne,  G.  F.  Spreng,  presiding  elder;  Scioto, 
George  Haley  ;  Sandusky,  D.  Strohman  ;  Michigan,  C.  A.  Munk. 

1860.  Illinois  Conference,  Plainfield,  111.,  April  25.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  H.  Bucks,  secretary.  Received  license  — 
Henry  Messner,  C.  Dimmer  andW.  Uber.  Received  into  the 
itinerancy — J.  Luxz,  D.  N.  Long,  L.  H.  Eiterman,  C.  Ott,  H. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


329 


Shoemaker,  H.  H.  Bair,  H.  Messner,  E.  Dimmer  and  W.U6ER. 
Ordained  elders — W.  Lechler,  D.  B.  Byers,  A.  Strohman,  J. 
W.  MoHR  and  R.  Dubs.  Deacons — W.  Goessele,  C.  Tobias, 
J.  G.  Kleinknecht  and  E.  Freeden.  J.  Riegel  and  W.  Strass- 
berger  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  S.  A.  Tobias 
was  re-elected  and  H.  Rohland,  H.  Bucks,  S.  Dickover  and 
Levi  Eberhart  were  newly  elected.  That  part  of  this  conference 
now  belonging  to  the  Iowa  Conference  shall  be  divided  into  two 
presiding  elder  districts,  called  Iowa  and  Kansas  districts.  Iowa 
District  shall  consist  of  Marion,  Grandview  and  North  Bend 
Circuits,  and  Dubuque,  Maquoketa,  Muscatine  Waterloo  and 
Cedar  Rapids  Missions.  Kansas  District  to  consist  of  Green 
Castle,  Fort  Des  Moines,  Nebraska,  Franklin  and  Humboldt 
Missions.  An  auxiliary  branch  of  the  Sunday-School  and  Tract 
Union  was  formed. 

Districts:  Chicago,  H.  Rohland,  presiding  elder;  Freeport, 
H.  Bucks ;  Peoria,  S.  A.  Tobias ;  Iowa,  S.  Dickover ;  Kansas, 
L.  Eberhart. 

1860.  WisconsinConference, Jefferson, Wis., Mayg.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  H.  Huelster,  secretary.  Located — F. 
Shroeder  and  W.  Frederick.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — 
O.  Ragatz,G.  ZellhoefeRjC.  Brill,  J.  P.  Veil,  M.  Hammetter 
and  E.  Shultz,  Ordained  elders — G.  Shaeffer,  H.  Huelster, 
P.  Held  and  W.  Stegner.  Deacons — E.  H.  Linse,  J.  Lauzhof, 
N.  ScHNECK,  W.  Schneider,  J.  Smith,  G.  Fritsche  and  L. 
Seeler.  J.  G.  Esher  was  re-elected,  and  Israel  Kuter  newly 
elected  presiding  elder.  A  branch  society  of  the  Sunday-School 
and  Tract  Union  was  formed. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  J.  G.  Esher,  presiding  elder;  Madi- 
son, G.  A.  Blank ;  Minnesota,  Israel  Kuter. 

1860.  Indiana  Conference,  Dayton,  Ohio,  Sept.  5.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  M.  Hoehn,  secretary.  F.  Hoffman  re- 
ceived license.  M.  Speck  and  P.  Schwillev  were  received  into 
the  itinerancy.  M.  Krueger  was  ordained  elder,  and  J.  Hoff- 
man, M.  Klaiber  and  S.  Miesse,  deacons.  Oath-bound  societies 
were  deprecated.  An  auxiliary  Sunday-school  and  Tract  So- 
ciety was  formed. 

Districts:  Wabash,  M.  W.  Steffy,  presiding  elder;  White 
River,  G.  G.  Platz;  St.  Joseph,  Joseph  Fisher. 

1860.    Iowa  Conference.    The  appointments  of  Iowa  Dis- 


330  EVANOELICALASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


trict  were  in  Iowa  and  Minnesota,  and  those  of  the  Kansas  Dis- 
trict in  Iowa,  Nebraska  and  Kansas. 

Iowa  District,  S.  Dickover,  presiding  elder.  Grandview 
Circuit,  J.  F.  Schreiber;  Maquoketa  and  Dubuque  Missions,  J. 
Himmel  and  W.  Uber;  Independence  Mission,  W.  Kolb  and  C. 
Dimmer;  Waterloo  Mission,  H.  Hintze ;  Muscatine,  I.  Keiper. 

Kansas  District,  Levi  Eberhart,  presiding  elder.  Greencastle 
Mission,  C.  Tobias;  Ft.  Des  Moines  Mission,  A.  Strohman; 
Nebraska  Mission,  H.  Kleinsorge;  Franklin  Mission  (Kan.), 

C.  Berner;  Humbolt  Mission  (Kan.),  R.  Dubs. 

Owing  to  illness  and  other  causes  L.  Eberhart,  the  presiding 
elder,  did  not  visit  Kansas  until  the  Spring  of  1861.  On  March 
26  he  reached  Levenworth,  held  a  number  of  quarterly  meetings, 
and  licensed  F.  Delfelder  on  recommendation  of  the  quarterly 
conference.   This  was  the  first  fruits  for  our  ministry  in  Kansas. 

First  Church  in  Kansas. — Brother  R.  Dubs,  who  served 
Humbolt  Mission  during  this  year,  built  a  frame  church,  24x36 
feet,  at  this  place,  which  was  finished  at  the  close  of  the  year. 

Note.  —  Many  notable  events  occurred  this  year.  Bright 
sunshine  and  dark  shadows  alternated  in  rapid  succession.  The 
first  issues  of  the  periodicals  of  this  year  were  draped  in  mourn- 
ing for  the  death  of  Bishop  Sevbert,  who  was  called  to  his 
reward  on  Jan.  4. 

"In  ardor  he  led  in  the  van  of  the  host, 
And  fell  like  a  soldier — he  died  at  his  post." 

All  the  annual  conferences  passed  suitable  memorial  resolu- 
tions. The  Sunday-School  and  Tract  Union  was  organized 
agreeably  to  the  directions  of  the  last  General  Conference,  in 
the  Salem  Church,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Feb.  10,  and  the  constitu- 
tion published.  The  annual  conferences  subsequently  organized 
tnemselves  into  auxiliary  societies.  The  missionary  interests 
were  pushed  with  vigor.  The  Missionary  Society  at  its  annual 
meeting,  held  at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  Nov.  15,  reported  eighty-three 
missions,  an  increase  of  sixteen  over  the  previous  year.  Urgent 
calls  came  from  many  quarters  for  missionaries,  especially  from 
the  southwest.  The  society  was  fully  alive  to  the  promising  op- 
portunities, and  exerted  itself  to  the  full  ability  of  its  resources. 

1861.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa.,  Feb. 
27.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  Yeakel,  secretary.  J. 
Schneider,  located.    M.  Guhl  was  ordained  elder.    J.  Kutz, 

D,  YuENGST,  A.  Saylor,  T.  Bowman,  J.  A.  Apgar,  J.  Steltzer 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


331 


and  H.  Kletzing,  deacons.  J.  K.  Knerr  was  licensed  on  trial. 
W.  Heim,  R.  Deisher  were  again,  and  J.  Kurtz  and  I.  E. 
Knerr,  newly  received  into  the  itinerancy.  S.  Neitz  resigned 
the  office  of  presiding  elder  in  order  to  write  the  biography  of 
Bishop  J.  Seybert,  and  W.  L.  Reber  was  elected  in  his  place. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  G.  T.  Haines,  presiding  elder;  Le- 
high, W.  L.  Reber;  Lebanon,  F.  Hoffman;  Orwigsburg,  L. 
Snyder. 

1861.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Glen  Rock,  Pa.,  March  7. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  J.  Young,  secretary.  H.  Broad- 
beck  and  John  Frey  (local),  died.  Ordained  elders — S.  Smith, 
Z.  Hornberger,  J.  W.  Clair,  J.  Henn  and  D.  W.  Miller. 
Deacons — Prof.  J.  H.  Leas,  H.  A.  Dieterick,  M.  Walter,  M. 
W.  Harris,  S.  D.  Bennington  and  A.  Rearick.  S.  W.  Seibert 
was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Baltimore,  J.  Young,  presiding  elder ;  Centre,  E. 
Kohr;  Susquehanna,  S.  W.  Seibert. 

1861.  Pittsburg  Conference,  North  Lima,  Ohio,  March  20. 
J.  Long,  president;  C.  Lindeman,  secretary.  Received  into 
the  itinerancy — J.  Rank,  P.  W.  Hahn,  Robert  Mott,  J.  D. 
Hollinger,  J.  J.  Bernhart  and  Prof.  A.  A.  Smith.  S.  F. 
Crowther  was  ordained  elder,  and  G.  S.  Domer,  E.  Peer,  H. 
J.  Bowman,  D.  Strayer  and  Wm.  Smith,  deacons.  District 
ministerial  meetings  were  recommended  to  be  held  upon  every 
presiding  elder  district. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  A.  Stahle,  presiding  elder;  Allegheny, 
J.  Weikel ;  Cleveland,  A.  Niebel ;  Somerset,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert. 

1861.  New  York  Conference,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  April  11. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  J.  D.  Yenni,  secretary.  G.  Clark, 
located.  Jacob  Kehr,  died.  A.  Holzworth,  J.  Schmidt  and 
H.  Werner  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Ordained  elders 
— S.  Kopp,  M.  Pfitzinger,  H.  Weisel,  T.  Hauch,  A.  Spies, 
G.  Rott  and  S.  Morley.  Deacons — A,  Miller,  L.  Wildfang, 
J.  Kaechle,  C.  a.  Thomas,  A.  Stoebe  and  G.  F.  Buesh.  A 
resolution  deprecating  secret  societies  was  adopted. 

Districts :  Albany,  L.  Jacoby,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  M. 
Lauer;  Hamilton,  J.  D.  Yenni;  Waterloo,  W.  Schmidt. 

1861.  Ohio  Conference,  Tabor  Church,  Carey,  Ohio,  May 
15.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  P.  Schnatz,  secretary. 
Located — G.  F.  Behner,  P.  Wiest,  J.  G.  Zinzer  and  J.  Rosen- 
berger.    J.  Kanaga  took  credentials  for  another  conference. 


332  EVANOBLICAL  ASSOCIATION'  ANNALS. 


Received  into  the  itinerancy — L.  Seither,  Geo.  Hasenpflug, 
J.  Frankhauser,  C.  Deike,  J.  Berk,  D.  H.  Wonder,  W.  W. 
Morse  and  Jos.  Felger.  Ordained  elder  —  E.  B.  Grouse. 
Deacons — W.  Wonder,  J.  G.  Bachman,  T.  George,  H.  Long- 
brake  and  J.  Haldeman.  George  Haley  was  re-elected,  and 
John  Stoll  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Wayne,  G.  Haley,  presiding  elder;  Scioto,  J. 
Stoll ;  Sandusky,  D.  Strohman ;  Michigan,  C.  A.  Munk. 

1861.  Illinois  Conference, Des  Plaines, 111., April lo.  Bishop 
W.  W.  Orwig,  president]  J.  J.  Esher,  secretary.  Daniel 
Shreffler  (local),  died.  Licensed  on  probation — C.  GocK- 
stetter,  E.  Wise  and  Michael  Heyl.  A.  S.  Heilman,  ordained 
elder.  H.  H.  Bair  and  A.  Gockly,  deacons.  Lee  Centre,  El 
Paso,  Henry  and  Lockport  Missions  were  established.  The 
conference  in  union  with  the  Wisconsin  Conference  resolved  to 
establish  an  institution  of  learning  at  Plainfield.  Agent  for  the 
same — J.  J.  Esher.  Trustees  for  Illinois  Conference — H.  RoH- 
land,  J.  J.  Esher,  S.  A.  Tobias  and  C.  Kopp,  ministers,  and 
J.  Dillman,  M.  Dice  and  E.  Hartung,  laymen.  Received  into 
the  itinerancy — Jacob  Himmel,  D.  B.  Byers,  Martin  Stamm, 
C.  Hummel,  M.  Heil,  P.  Hoffman,  C.  Gockstetter  and 
Samuel  Tobias. 

Districts:  Chicago,  H.  Rohland,  presiding  elder;  Freeport, 
H.  Bucks ;  Peoria,  S.  A.  Tobias. 

1861.  Indiana  Conference,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  Sept.  i8. 
Bishop  Orwig,  president.  Two  brethren  were  ordained  elders  and 
four  deacons.  The  conference  united  in  the  establishment  of  Plain- 
field  College,  and  also  supported  fifteen  missions  during  the  year. 

Districts :  Wabash,  M.  W.  Steffy,  presiding  elder ;  White 
River,  G.  G.  Platz ;  St.  Joseph,  J.  Fisher. 

1861.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Menomonee  Falls,  Wis., 
April  i8.  Bishop  Orwig,  president;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary, 
G.  A.  Blank,  (presiding  elder),  died.  P.  Feil,  located.  Re- 
ceived into  the  itinerancy — C.  Finger,  Peter  Tenny,  and  E. 
Bockenmuehl.  Ordained  elder — P.  Massuager.  Deacons — F. 
HuELSTER,  and  Geo.  Zelhoefer.  La  Cross,  Beaverdam,  Wau- 
kesha, and  Waupaca  Missions  were  established.  C.  A.  Schnake 
was  elected  presiding  elder.  Conference  concurred  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  Plainfield  College,  and  elected  seven  trustees  for  the 
same.  Resolutions  condemning  secret  societies,  intemperance, 
and  the  use  of  tobacco  were  adopted. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


333 


Districts:  Milwaukee,  J.  G.  Esher,  presiding  elder  ;  Madison, 
■C.  A.  Schnake. 

1861.  Iowa  Conference,  first  session,  Grandview,  Iowa, 
May  29.  Bishop  Orwig,  president ;  J.  Keiper,  secretary.  F. 
Emde,  and  F.  Berner  were  received  on  trial.  Ordained  Elders 
— C.  Berner,  H.  Hurtze,  Geo.  Von  Eshen,  and  J.  Hammet- 
ter.  Deacons — C.  Lahr,  J.  Rahskoff,  H.  Kleinsorge,  and 
Jos.  BussARD.  Jos.  BussARD,  F.  Berner,  F.  Emde,  C.  Sauder, 
and  A.  Nierens  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  L.  Eberhart 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  M.  J.  Miller  was 
elected  in  his  stead.  Several  Iowa  appointments  were  detached 
from  Kansas  District.  The  conference  united  in  the  Plainfield 
College  project. 

Iowa  District,  S.  Dickover,  presiding  elder,  nine  charges 
twelve  preachers  ;  Minnesota  District,  I.  Kuter,  presiding  elder, 
•eight  charges  and  twelve  preachers;  Kansas  District,  M.  J. 
Miller,  presiding  elder,  four  charges  and  six  preachers. 

Notes.  — The  operations  o  f  the  church  for  this  year  are  marked 
by  a  uniform  measure  of  success.  The  breaking  out  of  the  Civil 
War  occasioned  the  development  of  intense  patriotism  throughout 
the  denomination,  and  editorials  and  communications  of  the  church 
periodicals  breathe  an  ardent  spirit  of  loyalty.  The  Evangelical 
Messenger,  editorially  says,  "The  Star  Spangled  Banner  is 
proudly  waving  right  over  our  office  window  with  its  thirty-four 
-stars  so  arranged  on  their  beautiful  field  of  blue,  as  to  constitute 
one  large  star,  the  same  as  the  many  states  make  one  large  na- 
tion, announcing  to  all  passers  by  that  we  at  headquarters  are 
for  the  old  flag  and  the  glorious  old  union." 

The  missionary  interests  continued  to  prosper.  The  Mis- 
sionary Society  met  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  Nov.  14.  The  number 
of  missions  reported  was  98,  an  increase  of  16  during  the  year. 
The  missionaries,  beyond  the  Mississippi  River,  labored  with 
great  fortitude  and  self-denial.  The  following  extracts  from 
communications  of  Presiding  Elder  M,  J.  Miller,  illustrate  the 
spirit  of  devotion  to  the  cause  of  Christ,  shown  by  the  faithful 
missionaries  :  "I  made  a  round  on  the  north  end  of  this  district, 
and  found  the  Missionaries  Uber  aud  Kleinsorge  in  good  spirits 
and  their  mission  in  a  prosperous  condition.  Bro.  Uber  has 
taken  up  a  new  appointment  since  conference,  and  on  Thursday, 
Aug.  22,  we  will  commence  a  camp-meeting  on  his  (Holton) 
Mission.    This  will  be  the  first  German  camp-meeting  in  Kansas. 


334 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


We  will  also  hold  one  on  Lawrence  Mission,  commencing  Aug. 
29.  *  *  *  "  The  Council  Bluffs  Mission  is  a  very  extensive 
field  of  labor,  and  bids  fair  for  the  future,  but  we  should  have 
two  men  there.  This  mission  extends  from  Council  Bluffs  north 
to  Dakota  Territory.  I  spent  two  Sabbaths  with  Bro.  Klein- 
SORGE  on  the  mission,  aud  was  up  north  to  Sioux  City  with  him, 
where  we  held  a  quarterly  meeting  and  had  a  precious  season. 
But  Bro.,  I  tell  you,  this  is  an  almost  end/ess  district,  I  traveled 
early  and  late  from  Monday  morning,  the  i8th,  till  Monday  even- 
ing, the  26th,  in  the  following  week  to  get  home,  a  distance  of 
330  miles.  This  trip  takes  me  through  six  or  seven  Indian  reser- 
vations, and  unsettled  prairies  of  from  ten  to  twenty  miles  in 
length  and  width  where  there  is  not  a  single  house  to  be  seen, 
and  were  it  not  for  the  frequent  springs  and  rivulets  along  the 
dim  and  wearisome  tracks,  both  man  and  beast  would  pine  away 
before  reaching  a  settlement.  I  made  720  miles  in  the  round, 
and  must  make  this  distance  as  often  as  I  go  to  Council  Bluffs. 

"I  met  with  entertainment  wherever  I  came.  One  night, 
however,  I  was  entertained  all  alone,  out  on  the  open  prairie. 
A  piece  of  dry  bread  and  three  eggs,  which  I  had  with  me,  served 
for  supper,  and  my  buggy  cushions  and  great  coat  for  my  bed, 
down  in  the  grass  by  the  side  of  my  buggy.  I  had  a  far  better 
time  of  it  than  in  many  of  the  small  smothering  cabins  along  the 
road,  where  bugs  and  fleas  are  your  nightlong  associates."  Aug. 
20,  1861. 

"On  Council  Bluff  Mission  the  Lord  gathered  a  little  flock  of 
faithful  souls,  and  the  prospects  are  good.  *  *  Bro.  Klein- 
SORGE  is  well  and  labors  very  dilligently  on  this  mission.  He 
travels  frequently  from  forty  to  forty-five  miles  a  day,  and  is 
content  with  a  piece  of  dry  bread  for  his  dinner  on  the  open 
prairie.  *  *  *  We  held  a  camp-meeting  on  Holton  and  also 
one  on  Lawrence  Mission.  At  each  we  had  four  tents,  about 
thirty  members,  one  hundred  hearers  and  five  preachers.  These 
meetings  were  much  blessed,  and  a  few  souls  were  converted. 
It  was  refreshing  to  see  our  friends  putting  up  their  tents,  con- 
sisting of  wagon-covers,  rails,  etc.,  in  the  small  grove.  These 
were  the  first  German  camp-meetings  in  this  large  and  thinly 
settled  State.  They  were  times  of  great  encouragement  to  the 
preachers  which  we  had  missed  for  the  last  three  years.  The 
missionary  cause  was  not  forgotten  at  these  meetings.  After  a 
missionary  sermon  by  Bro.    R.   Dubs,  ^65  was  subscribed, 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


335 


which  was  well  done,  considering  the  circumstances.  Besides 
these  subscriptions,  a  brother  will  give  the  half  of  a  cow,  and 
another  a  large  ox  to  the  cause.  Ye  missionary  friends  in  the 
East,  your  noble  gifts  are  bearing  fruit  in  Kansas  !  Soon  we  ex- 
pect also  to  have  self-supporting  fields  of  labor  in  the  far  away 
Kansas.  The  best  of  all  is,  souls  are  brought  to  the  Saviour." 
Leavenworth,  Sept.  21,  1861. 

At  Grand  View,  Iowa,  the  first  session  of  the  Iowa  Confer- 
ence was  held.  In  1852  a  number  of  members  emigrated  from 
Dauphin  county.  Pa.,  and  settled  in  that  vicinity.  Previous  to 
their  departure  Bishop  Sevbert  had  promised  to  supply  them 
with  a  preacher,  which  he  did.  In  September  a  class  was  formed 
composed  for  the  following  members  :  George  Gipple*  and  wife 
Mary,  and  children;  J.  Samuel,  Margaret,  Geo.  W.,  and 
Mary  ;  Solomon  Wagner  and  wife  Susanna  ;  Jacob  Snyder, 
and  wife  Catharine  ;  Jos.  Martin  and  wife  Mary  ;  James 
Shartzer,  and  wife  Eliza  ;  John  Snyder  aud  wife  Susanna. 
Also  three  European  Germans,  F.  Beik,  Geo.  Hahn  and  Chas. 
Wabnitz,  with  their  wives.  Geo.  Gipple  was  class  leader  and 
Martin  exhorter.  The  first  Evangelical  Church  west  of  the 
Mississippi  was  dedicated  here  in  1856. 

1862.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Reading,  Feb.  26.  Bishop 
Orwio,  president ;  J.  Koehl,  secretary.  Located — H.  Kempfer, 
D.  Hambright,  H.  Koester  and  T.  Sebold.  P.  H.  Lehr, 
withdrew.  F.  W.  Walker  took  credentials.  S.  Neitz  was 
elected  presiding  elder.  A.  Boetzel,  J.  Specht,  and  E.  Butz, 
were  ordained  elders.  S.  S.  Chubb,  L.  Smith,  G.  B.  Fisher, 
C.  Wolf,  and  W.  Rodgers,  deacons.  Licensed  on  trial,  W. 
Alsbach,  B.  F.  Bohner,  L.  Miller,  A.  Scharf,  S.  Franken- 
feld,  S.  Brown,  A.  Goetschel  and  D.  Lentz.  Received  into 
the  itinerancy,  R.  M.  Lichtenwalner,  C.  K.  Fehr,  C.  H.  Baker 
and  Seneca  Breyfogel. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  G.  T.  Haines;  Lehigh,  W.  L.  Reber; 
Lebanon,  S.  Neitz  ;  Orwigsburgh,  L.  Snyder. 

1862.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Milheim,  Pa.  March  6. 
Bishop  Orwig,  president  j  C.F.Dininger,  secretary.  Located — 
Sloat,  D.  W.  Miller,  J.  W.  Clair,  E.  B.  Wilson  and  D. 
Kreamer,  the  latter  going  West.  Received  in  the  traveling  con- 
nection, F.  C.  Pandel,  I.  M.  Pines,  and  A.  Ettinger.  Recom- 

*See  "Fishing  Creek  Vally.', 


336 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


mended  to  the  Stationing  Committee,  F.  Methfessel,  C.  W. 
Davis,  A.  Sommerville,  W.  H.  Davis,  and  J.  Y.  Reed.  Or- 
dained deacons — S.  T.  Buck,  S.  E.  Davis,  A.  H.  Irvine,  F.  C. 
Hoffman  and  J.  M.  McGaw.  E.  Kohr  was  elected  presiding 
elder.  "Resolved,  That  henceforth  we  keep  our  conference 
records  exclusively  in  the  English  language."  A  strong  resolu- 
tion favoring  the  government  in  its  conduct  of  the  war  for  the 
Union,  was  offered  by  M.  J.  Carothers,  and  adopted  by  the 
conference. 

Districts :  Baltimore,  E.  Kohr ;  Centre,  J.  Young  ;  Susque- 
hanna, S.  W.  Seibert.  The  conference  statistics  were  not  pub- 
lished this  year. 

1862.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  April  30. 
Bishop  Orwig,  president ;  T.  G.  Clewell,  secretary.  John 
Geisse  (local)  died.  S.  Vandersal  was  licensed.  Received 
in  the  itinerancy,  S.  Vandersal.  A,  Loehner,  John  Domer, 
T.  MoNASMiTH,  W.  Summers,  and  W.  Hammer.  H.  J.  Bow- 
man, received  credentials  to  go  to  the  Iowa  Conference.  Or- 
dained elders,  J.  Reams  and  G.  W.  Reisinger.  Deacons,  M. 
H.  Shannon  and  J.  Q.  A.  Weller.  G.  W.  Cupp  and  S.  B. 
Kring  were  elected  to  the  office  of  presiding  elder. 

District:  Pittsburg,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  presiding  elder;  Cleve- 
land, G.  W.  Cupp  ;  Allegheny,  A.  Niebel;  Somerset,  S.  B.  Kring. 

1862.  Ohio  Conference,  Sandusky  City,  Ohio,  May  14. 
Bishop  Orwig,  president ;  L.  Scheurman,  secretary.  H.  Sichlev 
and  P.  FoLTZ  were  licensed.  J.  Rosenberger,  H.  Sichlev,  J. 
Dick  and  H.  Faus  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  C.  Gabel 
died.  H.  Cover,  J.  G.  Theuer,  J.  Berk  and  C.  Thomas 
located.  J.  J.  Kopp  was  permitted  to  rest  a  year.  E.  Bover 
received  credentials.  Ordained  deacons,  J.  W.  Walkey,  S. 
Hennv,  C.  H.  Lindner,  J.  Meck,  L.  Setter  and  H.  Faus. 
Elders,  F.  Zeller,  D.  Heininger,  J.  M.  Haug,  F.  R.  Totheroh 
and  Andrew  Swartz. 

Districts:  Wayne,  Geo.  Haley,  presiding  elders  ;  Scioto,  John 
StoU  ;  Sandusky,  C.  A.  Munk  ;  Michigan,  D.  Strohman. 

1862.  New  York  Conference,  Morristown,  Canada,  April 
10.  Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig,  president;  P.  Alles,  secretary.  G. 
Schmidt  and  P,  Alles,  located.  J.  H.  Fisher  was  licensed. 
G.  EcKARD,  F.  Hehr,  J.  Sechrist,  D.  Moose,  C.  G.  Curiis, 
C.  Shoepflein,  J.  G.  Stetter,  J.  H.  Fisher  and  W.  Wittington 
were  received  into  the  traveling  connection.    F.  Lohmever  was 


VONFEBENUE  BEOOBDS. 


837 


ordained  elder,  and  C.  Boller  deacon.  Elmira  and  Batavia 
Missions  were  established.  S.  Weber  was  elected  presiding 
elder. 

Districts :  Albany,  L.  Jacoby,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  M. 
Lauer ;  Hamilton,  J.  D.  Yenni ;  Waterloo,  S.  Weber. 

1862.  Illinois  Conference,  Peoria,  111.,  April  lo.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  J.  J.  Esher,  secretary.  Noah  McLehn 
located.  J.  Kanaga,  of  the  Ohio,  W.  F.  Walker,  of  the  East 
Pa.,  D.  Kramer,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  and  H.  W. 
Crandall,  P.  HiMMEL,  and  J.  M.  Sindlinger  were  received  into 
the  itinerancy.  H.  Holdridge  was  licensed.  J.  Kleinknecht, 
W.  GoESSELE,  E.  VonFreeden  and  D.  B.  Byers  were  ordained 
elders,  and  C.  Ott,  H.  Messner,  H.  Shoemaker,  and  J.  Him- 
mel  deacons.  J.  J.  Esher  resigned  as  agent  of  Plainfield  Col- 
lege and  S.  A.  Tobias  was  elected  to  the  same.  H.  Bucks  and 
S.  A.  Tobias  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  C.  Klopp, 
C.  Hummel  and  C.  Augenstein  were  elected  to  the  same.  The 
conference  passed  strong  resolutions  in  favor  of  the  Union,  and 
in  support  of  the  Government  of  the  United  States. 

Districts:  Chicago,  C.  Hummel,  presiding  elder;  Naperville, 
C.  Kopp ;  Freeport,  H.  Rohland  ;  Peoria,  C.  Augenstein. 

1862.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Madison,  April  24.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary.  M.  Hauert 
and  P.  Yenni  located.  Received  into  the  itinerancy,  William 
Horn,  F.  Zimmerman,  P.  Speich,  M.  Wittenwiler,  L.  Strobel 
and  G.  Schwartz  of  the  German  Reformed  Church.  Ordained 
elders,  W.  F.  Schneider,  G.  Fritsche,  N.  Schuck  and  J. 
Banshaf.  Deacons,  E.  Shultz  and  H.  Hammetter.  Strong 
pro-union  resolutions  were  adopted.  William  Zickerick,  one 
of  the  itinerants,  joined  the  army  in  defence  of  his  country. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  J.  G.  Esher,  presiding  elder ;  Madison, 
C.  A.  Schnake. 

1862.  Indiana  Conference,  East  Germantown,  Ind.,  Sept. 
18.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  M.  Mayer,  secretary.  Located 
P.  BuRGNER,  P.  Bretsch,  P.  SwiLLEY  and  F.  Geisel.  D.  S. 
Oaks,  P.  Thornton  and  A.  Dassel  were  received  into  the 
itinerancy.  M.  Klaiber,  J.  Hoffman,  J.  Paulin,  and  E.  Kip- 
PLiNGER  were  ordained  elders,  and  M.  Speck  and  J.  Kipplin- 
GER,  deacons.  Strong  pro-union  resolutions  were  adopted. 
Catechetical  classes,  13. 


338  BVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts :  Wabash,  M.  W.  Slefifey,  presiding  elder  ;  White 
River,  G.  G.  Plantz  ;  St.  Joseph,  J.  Fisher. 

1862.  Iowa  Conference,  Grand  View,  Iowa,  May  8.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  R.  Dubs,  secretary.  The  work  of  the  Lord 
advanced  wonderfully  in  this  conference  during  the  year,  and 
the  following  new  missions  were  established,  Ft.  Dodge,  Fontenac, 
Menomonee,  Crow  River,  New  Ulm,  Painsville,  and  Decorah. 
The  conference  embraced,  Iowa,  Kansas,  Minnesota  and  Ne- 
braska. 

Note. — In  August  the  Sioux  Indians  of  Minnesota  rebelled 
against  the  Government,  and  committed  the  most  horrible  out- 
rages, devastating  with  fire  and  tomahawk  many  of  the  most  pros- 
perous settlements.  They  began  their  outrages  Aug.  i8,  at  the 
Sioux  agency  in  Brown  county  *nd  continued  for  many  days,  until 
nearly  one  thousand  white  men,  women  and  children  were 
slaughtered,  and  many  women  carried  away  to  meet  a  fate  more 
horrible  than  death.  In  this  terrible  slaughter  almost  one  hun- 
dred of  our  Evangelical  members  were  slain  on  New  Ulm  and 
Ft.  Ridgley  Missions.  At  Crow  River  two  of  our  heroic  mis- 
sionaries fell  at  their  posts  at  the  hands  of  the  savages.  Rev. 
Le  Seder,  of  New  Ulm  Mission,  preached  Aug.  17,  about  twenty 
miles  northwest  of  Ft.  Ridgley,  where  there  was  an  Evangelical 
society  of  over  seventy  members.  The  following  day  he  was 
killed,  with  nearly  all  our  members  there.  He  left  a  widow  and 
three  children.  Rev.  A.  Nerenz,  of  Crow  River  Mission,  es- 
caped the  first  attack  of  the  savages  and  returned  home  Sept.  i, 
and  the  following  day  was  killed  in  a  shocking  manner.  He 
also  left  a  wife  and  three  children. 

1863.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Millersburg,  Dauphin  county. 
Pa.,  Feb.  25.  Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig,  president;  J.  Koehl,  sec- 
retary. J.  Frev  and  Joseph  Gross,  located.  C.  Loose  was 
again,  and  C.  B.  Fliehr,  and  D.  Lentz  were  newly  received  in- 
to the  itinerancy.  T.  Bowman,  J.  Steltzer,  D.  Yingst,  were 
ordained  elders,  and  J.  Kurtz,  S.  K.  Fehr,  R.  M.  Leichten- 
WALNER,  C.  B.  Fliehr,  I.  E.  Knerr,  Seneca  Brevfgoel  and 
J.  C.  Bliem,  deacons.  W.  L.  Reber  resigned  the  office  of  pre- 
siding elder,  and  Jesse  Yeakel  was  elected  in  his  place.  Res- 
olutions favoring  the  Union  and  upholding  the  Government  were 
adopted,  and  the  editors  of  our  church  periodicals  were  endorsed. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  G.  T.  Haines,  presiding  elder;  Le- 
high, J.  Yeakel;  Lebanon,  S.  Neitz ;  Orwigsburg,  L.  Snyder. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


389 


1863.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  York,  Pa.,  March  5.  Bishop 
W.  W.  Orwig,  president;  Jacob  Hartzler,  secretary.  Noah 
DiEBLER,  located.  I.  Y.  Reed,  W.  H.  Davis,  T.  M.  Morris, 
F.  Methfessel,  W.  E.  Detwiler  and  Josiah  Bowersox  were 
received  into  the  itinerancy.  P.  H.  Rishel,  F.  Kurtz  and  W. 
Reeser  were  recommended  to  the  presiding  elders  for  work. 
Jacob  Hartzler  was  elected  traveling  agent  for  Union  Semi- 
nary. Ordained  elders  —  A.  Rearick,  H.  A.  Dietrick,  M. 
Walter  and  M.  W.  Harris.    Deacon — D.  L.  Sutton. 

Districts :  Baltimore,  E.  Kohr,  presiding  elder ;  Centre,  J. 
Young ;  Susquehanna,  S.  W.  Seibert. 

1863.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Salem  Church,  Stark  county, 
Ohio,  April  9.  Bishop  Joseph  Long,  president;  J.  L.  W.  Sei- 
bert, secretary.  The  conference  passed  strong  Union  resolu- 
tions, and  called  upon  all  ministers  and  members  to  defend  by 
word  and  doctrine  our  assailed  Government  in  public  and  pri- 
vate, according  to  the  teachings  of  St.  Paul,  Rom.  xiii.  1-7  and 
Tim.  ii.  1-3.  None  of  the  Virginia  charges  were  supplied  by 
the  conference. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  presiding  elder;  Cleve- 
land, A.  Niebel ;  Allegheny,  G.  \V.  Cupp ;  Somerset,  S.  B. 
Kring. 

1863.  New  York  Conference,  Niagara  City,  N.  Y.,  April 
9.  Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig,  president;  M.  Lehn,  secretary.  The 
sum  of  $i,\i.x  was  raised  at  this  conference  for  missionary  pur- 
poses. Some  forty  preachers  were  present,  and  a  comparatively 
small  congregation.  President  Lincoln  was  made  an  honorary 
member  of  the  Board  of  Missions,  by  the  payment  of  $50,  raised 
for  that  purpose.  This  being  done,  a  Canadian  brother  pro- 
posed Queen  Victoria  for  the  same  membership,  and  a  like 
amount  of  money  was  raised  for  that  purpose. 

1863.  Ohio  Conference,  Bettsville,  Seneca  county,  Ohio, 
May  21.  Bishop  Joseph  Long,  president;  J.  G.  Zinzer,  sec- 
retary. Located — Jacob  Shaeffer,  D.  Heininger  and  D. 
Swartz.  Licensed — A.  Rex,  J.  Stover,  L.  Nauman,  H.  K. 
Rea,  J.  Cramin  and  C.  Knisley.  Ordained  elders — H.  Long- 
brake,  J.  G.  Baughman,  T.  George,  William  Wonder  and  C. 
Deike.  Deacons — Joseph  Felger,  D.  H.  Wonder,  George 
Hasenpflug,  J.  Frankhauser,  Joseph  Pontius,  D.  Rohland 
and  J.  Borough.  G.  F.  Spreng  was  elected  presiding  elder. 
There  were  nineteen  applicants  for  the  itinerancy,  of  whom 


340  E  VAmELlGAL  A8S0GIA  TION  ANNALS. 


eleven  were  received.  Resolutions  were  passed  sustaining  the 
Government  and  approving  the  Emancipation  Proclamation. 

"Whereas,  The  future  prosperity  of  our  Zion  makes  it  ne- 
cessary that  the  English  language  should  be  actively  encouraged, 
and  not  only  tolerated ;  and.  Whereas,  We  have  a  lively  appre- 
ciation of  the  importance  of  a  wholesome  literature  to  the  pros- 
perity of  our  Church  ;  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  this  conference  respectfully  requests  our  next 
General  Conference,  and  does  hereby  instruct  our  delegates  to 
that  body,  so  to  labor,  and  to  vote  that  in  our  Board  of  Publi- 
cation there  be  a  fitting  representation  in  future  of  the  English 
interests  of  our  Church;  hoping  that  by  these  means  we  shall  be 
enabled  to  ofEer  our  English  people  such  desirable  works,  as  for 
example,  'The  Life  and  Labors  of  Bishop  Seybert, '  as  near  as 
may  be  simultaneously  with  the  German." 

Districts:  Wayne,  George  Haley,  presiding  elder;  Scioto, 
John  StoU;  Sandusky,  G.  F.  Spreng;  Michigan,  D.  Strohman. 

1863.  Illinois  Conference,  Freeport,  111.,  April  9.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  G.  W.  Lechler,  secretary.  Located,  H. 
Bucks  and  J.  Kanaga.  Withdrew  from  the  Church — J.  P. 
Kramer  and  H.  W.  Crandall.  Licensed — L.  B.  Tobias  and 
H.  Keller.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — B.  C.  Wagoner, 
J.  G.  Miller  and  L.  B.  Tobias.  Ordained  elders — A.  Gackle 
and  H.  H.  Bair.  Deacons  —  M.  Stamm,  P.  Hoffman,  C. 
Gagstetter,  Michael  Heil,  S.  McKesson  and  Prof.  A.  A. 
Smith.  President  Lincoln's  Emancipation  Proclamation  was 
endorsed.  "Resolved,  That  we  declare  ourselves  uncondition- 
ally in  favor  of  the  Union  and  the  enforcement  of  the  laws." 

Districts  :  Chicago,  C.  Hummel,  presiding  elder ;  Naperville, 
C.  Kopp;  Freeport,  H.  Rohland;  Peoria,  C.  Augenstein. 

S.  A.  Tobias,  agent  for  Plainfield  College. 

1863.  Indiana  Conference,  Marshall,  Ind.,  Sept.  9.  Bishop 
W.  W.  Orwig,  president;  M.  Hoehn,  secretary.  Died — A. 
Dassel,  J.  Gruenisen  and  D.  Garl.  P.  Thornton,  located. 
E.  Kohlmaver  and  H.  L.  Fisher  were  received  into  the  itiner- 
ancy. J.  Kauffman,  C.  Shomo  and  G.  Zimmer  were  employed 
by  the  presiding  elder.  Ordained  elders — E.  Evans,  J.  M. 
Gomer  and  R.  Roth.  Deacons — G.  Schmoll  and  H.  L.  Fisher. 
Elected  presiding  elders— M.  W.  Steffev,  J.  Fisher  and  M. 
Hoehn.    The  cause  of  the  Union  was  sustained  and  the  Eman- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


341 


cipation  Proclamation  endorsed.  All  the  preachers  received  their 
salary  in  full. 

Districts :  Wabash,  M.  Hoehn,  presiding  elder ;  White  River, 
J.  Fisher;  St.  Joseph,  M.  W.  Steffey. 

1863.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  April  23. 
Bishop  Joseph  Long,  president;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary.  C. 
Miller  was  licensed.  F.  Kauffman  was  received  into  the  itin- 
erancy. Ordained  elders — F.  Huelster  and  G.  Zoellhoefer. 
Deacons — C.  Finger,  E.  Bockemuehl,  G.  Yahn  and  M.  Zick- 
erick.  J.  G.  Miller  united  with  the  Illinois  Conference.  J.  G. 
Esher  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  H.  Huelster 
was  elected  in  his  place.  Sheboygan,  Sharon,  New  Glarus  and 
Oconto  Missions  were  formed.  The  loyalty  of  the  conference 
to  the  Government  was  reaffirmed. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  H.  Huelster,  presiding  elder;  Madi- 
son, C.  A.  Schnake. 

1863.  Iowa  Conference,  Lisbon,  Iowa,  May  7.  Bishop  J. 
Long,  president;  R.  Dubs,  secretary.  L.  Seder  and  A.  Nierens 
died  (killed  by  the  savages — see  previous  year).  Received  into 
the  itinerancy — E.  Wise,  E.  Bowman,  S.  W.  McKesson,  W, 
Geiss  and  L.  H.  Gehman.  Ordained  elders — H.  Kleinsorge, 
J.  Buzzard,  J.  Rahskoff,  C.  Lahr  and  C.  Tobias.  Deacons 
— J.  F.  Berner  and  F.  Emde.  R.  Dubs,  general  agent  for  Plain- 
field  College.  Memorial  resolutions  were  adopted  on  the  death 
of  the  brethren,  slain  by  the  savages.  President  Lincoln's 
Emancipation  Proclamation  was  endorsed. 

Districts:  Iowa,  S.  Dickover,  presiding  elder,  six  missions, 
four  circuits  and  twelve  itinerants;  Minnesota,  I.  Kuter,  nine 
missions,  three  circuits  and  fifteen  itinerants ;  Kansas,  M.  J. 
Miller,  eight  missions  and  nine  itinerants. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


Thirteenth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
Oct.  I-20,  1863. 

1863.  General  Conference,  thirteenth  session,  Buffalo,  N. 
Y.,  Oct.  1-20.  Bishops  J,  Long,  W.  W.  ORwicand  J.  J.  Esher 
presiding  ;  secretary,  Jesse  Yeakel,  assistants,  R.  Dubs,  J.  G. 
Zinzer  and  C.  A.  Schnake.  On  motion  of  Bro.  Niebel,  it  was 
resolved  that  Father  John  Dreisbach,  the  only  living  colaborer 
of  the  Founder  of  the  Church,  was  requested  to  address  the  con- 
ference, which  he  did.  After  this  the  bishops  delivered  the  first 
regular  episcopal  message  in  the  history  of  the  Association. 
The  country  at  this  time  was  passing  through  the  most  critical 
period  of  the  Great  Civil  War.  The  General  Conference  ac- 
cordingly took  steps  to  express  itself  on  the  great  issues  which 
then  hung  trembling  in  the  balance.  A  committee  was  ap- 
pointed consisting  of  one  delegate  from  each  conference,  to  give 
expression  to  the  views  of  the  Church  on  the  great  questions  of 
the  day.  The  report,  which  is  too  lengthy  for  insertion  in  this 
work,  is  the  very  embodiment  of  loyalty  and  patriotic  devo- 
tion to  the  cause  of  the  Union.  It  recognizes  the  hand  of 
God  in  the  emancipation  of  the  slaves,  the  recent  triumph  of  the 
Union  arms,  endorses  the  Government,  praises  the  bravery  and 
self-sacrificing  spirit  of  the  National  troops,  and  exhorts  the 
ministry  and  laity  of  the  entire  Church  to  fidelity,  obedience,  and 
prayerful  interests. 

Three  new  conferences  were  formed,  viz  :  The  Canada, 
Michigan,  and  Kansas,  and  a  mission  was  established  on  the 
Pacific  coast. 

An  English  Sunday-School  paper,  to  be  called  the  Sunday- 
School  Messengei-,  was  established. 

Bishop  Joseph  Long  was  re-elected,  and  J.  J.  Esher  was  newly 
elected  to  the  office  of  bishop.  W.  W.  Orwig,  was  newly  elected 
editor  of  the  Christliche  Botschafter.    T.  G.  Clewell  was  re- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


343 


elected  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger.  R.  Yeakel,  editor 
of  Sunday-School  and  Tract  Literature.  C.  Hammer,  General 
Book  Agent.  Wm.  Yost,  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society. 

The  following  rules  were  adopted  for  the  conduct  of  the 
Christliche  Botschafter  and  Evangelical  Messenger. 

1.  Resolved,  Thsit  our  Y>a.Y>eTS,  the  C/irisilic/ie  Bo/sc/ia//era.Tid 
Evangelical  Messenger,  shall  be  conducted  in  accordance  with 
the  spirit  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  and  our  Church  Discipline,  and 
that  all  subjects  discussed  in  the  same,  shall  be  treated  from  a 
throughly  Christian,  and  with  the  Church  Discipline  of  the 
Evangelical  Association  harmonizing  standpoint,  and  shall  al- 
ways have  in  view  the  glory  of  God,  the  spread  of  his  knowledge, 
and  aim  at  promoting  the  general  welfare  of  mankind,  in  their 
moral,  religious  and  civil  relations. 

2.  Resolved,  That  our  papers  shall  watch  over,  advocate,  and 
defend  all  the  various  interests  of  the  Evangelical  Association  ; 
and  shall  also  publish  all  proceedings  of  the  General  and  An- 
nual Conferences,  of  the  Missionary  Society,  or  the  Board  of 
Publication,  and  other  official  documents,  when  such  are  offered 
in  official  form  for  publication,  without  mispresenting  the  sense 
by  abbreviation. 

3.  Resolved,  That  all  well  written  communications,  composed 
according  to  the  spirit  of  the  foregoing  resolutions,  shall  be  im- 
partially treated ;  and  in  all  controversies  and  discussions  of 
said  nature,  each  party  shall  have  equal  rights,  and  allowed  to 
speak  at  least  twice  through  the  papers. — General  Conference 
Journal,  page  34. 

A  rule  was  introduced  that  in  case  a  bishop's  time  expires, 
and  he  is  not  re-elected.  General  Conference  shall  make  pro- 
vision for  his  employment  and  support,  in  accordance  with  the 
rules  for  our  preachers. — Page  45. 

A  motion  prevailed  that  a  presiding  elder  be  elected,  who 
shall  have  charge  of  the  missions  in  Germany.  To  this  office 
S.  Neitz  was  almost  unanimously  elected.  To  the  great  regret 
of  the  conference  he  however  resigned  the  office  the  following 
day,  because  of  temporal  and  family  circumstances.  J.  G. 
WoLLPERT  was  elected. 

Delegates. — East  Pa.  Conference. — S.  Neitz,  G.  L.  Haines, 
J.  Yeakel,  L.  Snyder,  J.  P.  Leib,  F.  Hoffman,  S.  G.  Rhoads, 
F.  Krccker,  C.  Meyers,  H.  Stoetzel  and  J.  Koehl. 


344  EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION'  ANNALS. 


Central  Pa.  Conference. — E.  Kohr,  J.  Young,  S.  W.  Seibert, 
M.  J.  Carothers,  J.  M.  Young,  C.  F.  Deininger,  A.  L.  Reeser 
and  L.  May. 

Pittsburg  Conference. — C.  Lindemen,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  A. 
Niebel,  S.  B.  Kring,  J.  Rank,  A.  Stahley  and  J.  G.  Pfeuffer. 
Illinois  Conference. — C.  Kopp,  C.  Augenstein,  S.  A.  Tobias, 

E.  Musselman,  C.  Hummel,  H.  Rohland,  J.  Schaffle,  J.  J.  Esher 
and  J.  Schneider. 

Wisconsim  Conference. — J.  G,  EsKer,  C.  A.  Schnake,  L. 
Buehler  and  H.  Huelster. 

Indiana  Conference. — M.  W.  Steffey,  G.  G.  Platz,  M.  Hoehn, 
A.  B.  Shaefer,  J.  Fisher  and  J.  Fuchs. 

Iowa  Conference. — S.  Dickover,  J.  Kuter,  R.  Dubs  and  J. 
Keiper. 

New  York  Conference. — M.  Lauer,  M.  Lehn,  L.  Jacoby;  J. 
D.  Jenni,  S.  Weber  and  A.  Herlan. 

Ohio  Conference. — J.  Stull,  D.  Strohman,  G.  F.  Spreng,  G. 
Haley,  J.  G.  Zinzer,  L.  Scheurman,  John  Dreisbach,  C.  M. 
Reinhold,  C.  A.  Munk,  J.  Waltz  and  F.  Freeh. 

1864.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Feb.  25. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  F.  Krecker,  secretary.  John 
Klinefelter  died.  W.  L.  Reber,  L.  Schmidt,  R.  Litzen- 
BERGER  and  W.  H.  Bachman,  located.    Lincensed  on  trial,  J. 

F.  Yerger,  A.  H.  OvERHOLT,  and  H.  Guelich.  Received  in 
the  itinerancy — B.  F.  Bohner,  S.  B.  Brown,  A.  Goetschel  and 
D.  Z.  Kembel.    Ordained  elders — S.  8.  Chubb,  T.  Harper 

G.  B.  Fisher,  C.  H.  Baker,  and  J.  A.  Apgar.  Deacons — D. 
Lentz.  G.  T.  Haines  and  L.  Snyder  were  re-elected  to  the 
office  of  presiding  elder.  An  English  mission  was  located  in 
Philadelphia.  M.  Guhl  was  appointed  as  a  missionary  to  the 
Pacific  Coast  by  the  Board  of  Missions. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  L.  Snyder,  presiding  elder ;  Lehigh, 
J.  Yeakel ;  Lebanon,  S.  Neitz  ;  Orwigsburg,  G.  T.  Haines. 

1864.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  March  3. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president  ;  J.  Young,  secretary.  Licensed  to 
preach — J.  Wilhelm,  J.  Manbeck,  J.  G.  M.  Swengel,  and  S. 
Yearick.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — D.  W.  Miller,  J.  G. 
M.  Swengel,  H.  W.  Buck,  P.  H.  Rishel  and  W.  Reeser.  Or- 
dained elders — S.  T.  Buck,  A.  H.  Irvine,  S.  E.  Davis  and  S. 
D.  Bennington.  Deacons — L  M.  Pines,  W.  H.  Davis,  D.  F. 
Methfessel,  F.  C.  Pandal,  L  Y.  Reed,  and  T.  M.  Morris. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


845 


S.  W.  Seibfrt  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  S. 
Wolf  was  elected  to  the  same.  C.  F.  Deininger  was  appointed 
a  missionary  to  the  Pacific  coast  by  the  Board  of  Missions.  A 
mission  was  established  in  Washington,  D.  C,  to  which  Jacob 
Henn  was  appointed.  Rev.  S.  T.  Buck  joined  the  war  for  the 
Union  during  the  conference  year.  F.  Kurtz  took  credentials 
for  the  Wisconsin  Conference. 

Districts :  Baltimore,  E.  Kohr,  presiding  elder ;  Centre,  J. 
M.  Young  ;  Susquehanna,  S.  Wolf. 

1864.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Erie,  Pa.,  March  i6.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  secretary ;  S.  Lerch, 
died.  H.  W.  Hampe,  located.  D.  S.  Poling  was  received  into 
the  itinerancy.  M.  H.  Shannon  was  ordained  elder,  and  J.  D. 
Domer,  T.  Monismith,  S.  Vandersal,  C.  W.  Davis,  H.  B. 
Summers,  C.  F.  Hartung,  and  C.  Stauffer,  deacons.  J.  L. 
W.  Seibert  was  re-elected,  and  G.  S.  Domer  newly  elected 
presiding  elder.  Resolutions  were  passed  re-affirming  the  loyalty 
of  the  conference  to  the  Union,  etc. 

Districts:  Erie,  S.  B.  Kring,  presiding  elder;  Pittsburg,  J. 
L.  W.  Seibert ;  Alleghany,  G.  W.  Cupp  ;  Somerset,  G.  S.  Domer. 

1864.  New  York  Conference,  Utica,  N.  Y.,  April  14. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  M.  Pfitzinger,  secretary.  J, 
Stabler  and  L.  Wildfang,  located.  Wm.  Schwand,  R.  Clark 
and  L.  Rothermel,  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  C.  F. 
BoLLER  was  ordained  elder,  and  C.  A.  Wiseman,  H.  Fisher, 

C.  Schoepflein,  and  H.  Werner,  deacons.  M,  Lehn  was 
newly  elected  and  L.  Jacobv  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  New  York  Conference,  Albany,  M.  Lehn ;  Buffalo, 
L.  Jacoby.  Canada  Conference,  Waterloo,  S.  Weber  ;  Hamil- 
ton, F.  Herlan. 

1864.  Illinois  Conference, Naperville,  111.,  April  14.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  W.  Lechler,  secretary.    Located — 

D.  B.  Byers,  G.  Fleisher,  D.  Kramer,  C.  Hummel,  H.  H. 
Bear,  T.  M.  Young  and  J.  Lutz.  Received  into  the  itinerancy 
— S.  DiCKOVER,  George  Vetter,  L.  Keller,  L.  William,  J. 
Kuegel,  L.  Tobias,  B.  Ruh,  J.  Dunlap  and  L.  H.  Eiterman. 
Ordained  elders — C.  Ott,  H.  Shoemaker  and  H.  Messner. 
Deacons — J.  C.  Kuest  and  B.  C.  Wagoner.  E.  Musselman 
and  J.  Schafle  were  elected  presiding  elders.  It  was  made  the 
duty  of  each  presiding  elder  to  hold  district  ministerial  meetings. 


346 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


and  the  preachers  were  made  amenable  to  conference  for  non- 
attendance.    Pro-Union  resolutions  were  again  adopted. 

Districts:  Chicago,  C.  Augenstein,  presiding  elder;  Naper- 
ville,  C.  Kopp ;  Freeport,  E.  Musselman ;  Peoria,  J.  Schafle. 

1864.  Ohio  Conference,  Carey,  Ohio,  May  5.  Bishop  J. 
Long,  president;  J.  G.  Zinzer,  secretary.  Benjamin  Bixler, 
died.  J.  RosENBERGER,  L.  Seiter,  W.  W.  Morse  and  S.  Swartz, 
located.  John  Gillhausen,  E.  E.  Turner,  C.  Frillman  and 
D.  Sherrick  were  licensed.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — C. 
RoEHM,  A.  Wehr,  p.  Wiest  and  D.  Rohland.  J.  M.  Fuchs 
was  employed  by  the  presiding  elder.  Ordained  elders — J.  \V. 
Walkey,  C.  H.  Lindner,  S.  Henny,  J.  Meck,  H.  Faus  and  L. 
Seither.  Deacons — L.  C.  Morse,  G.  Schott,  H.  F.  Sichley, 
A.  Wehr  and  W.  W.  Morse.  C.  M.  Reinhold  was  elected 
presiding  elder.  It  was  resolved  to  establish  an  Orphan  Home. 
District  meetings  were  ordered  to  be  held,  and  the  preachers 
shall  be  held  accountable  to  conference  for  non-attendance  of 
the  same.  B.  Hoffman,  J.  Ressler  and  J.  Rosenberger  took 
credentials  to  unite  with  other  conferences. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  G.  Haley,  presiding  elder;  Sandusky, 
C.  M.  Reinhold  ;  Scioto,  J.  Stoll ;  Wayne,  G.  F.  Spreng ;  Mich- 
igan Conference,  Detroit,  D.  Strohman ;  St.  Joseph  (unsup- 
plied). 

1864.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Lomira  Centre,  Wis.,  April 
28.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  W.  F.  Schneider,  secre- 
tary. H.  Esch  and  J.  G.  Esher,  located.  F.  Stroebel  and 
W.  Pfefferkorn,  were  licensed.  Received  into  the  itinerancy 
— C.  Ragatz,  G.  Von  Eschen,  C.  Laehr,  G.  Fleisher,  F. 
Kurtz,  Wm.  Huelster,  C.  Mueller,  W.  Pfefferkorn  and 
F.  Stroebel.  Ordained  elders — E.  Shultz,  J.  W.  Hammeter, 
and  G.  Schwautes.  Deacons  —  W.  Horn,  L.  Stroebel, 
M.  Wittenweiler,  p.  Speich,  F.  Kauffman,  F.  Zimmerman 
and  A.  Huelster  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts,  Milwaukee;  H.  Huelster,  presiding  elder,  Fon  Du 
Lac,  C.  A.  Schnake  ;  Madison,  A.  Huelster. 

1864.  Iowa  Conference,  Dubuque,  Iowa,  May  13.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  R.  Dubs,  secretary.  Received  on  pro- 
bation— C.  Esher,  C.  Warner  and  J.  Shearer.  Received  into 
the  itinerancy — J.  Shearer,  C.  Esher,  William  Kolb,  J.  Von 
Eschen,  J.  Bauman,  P.  Fricker  and  J.  Nuhn.  Ordained  elders 
— C.  Brill,  W.  Uber  and  C.  Sanders.    Deacons — H.  HoL- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


847 


DREDGE,  E.  Bauman  and  H.  Bunse.  R.  Dubs,  H.  Lageschulte 
and  J.  Hammeter  were  elected  presiding  elders.  A  new  mission 
was  established  in  northwest  Missouri,  and  also  in  western  Kan- 
sas.   The  loyalty  of  the  conference  to  the  Union  was  reaffirmed. 

Districts:  Des  Moines,  R.  Dubs,  presiding  elder;  Dubuque, 
H.  Lageschulte ;  St.  Paul,  J.  Hammeter ;  Kansas  Conference 
District,  M.  J.  Miller.  Charges  in  Kansas — Leavenworth  and 
Lawrence,  J.  F.  Schreiber ;  Humboldt,  P.  Fricker ;  Holton,  S. 
W.  McKesson ;  Argo  and  Rockport,  C.  Berner  and  J.  Shearer ; 
West  Kansas  Mission,  to  be  supplied. 

1864.  Indiana  Conference,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  Sept.  8. 
J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  M.  Meyer,  secretary.  P.  Swartz  died. 
L.  Kohlmayer  and  W.  Buckman  located.  Licensed — A.  Parker, 
G.  Cuttler,  M.  Boyer,  C.  Brown,  M.  Condo,  J.  Beck  and 
John  Berger.  Received  into  the  itinerancy  —  C.  Shamo,  J. 
Kaufman,  A.  Parker,  G.  Zimmer,  J.  Berger,  J.  Beck,  M. 
CoNDO,  C.  Heim,  B.  Hoffman  and  J.  Rosenberger.  G.  A. 
Hertel  was  ordained  elder  and  S.  K.  Oaks,  C.  Heim  and  C. 
Frillman  deacons.  A.  Nicolai  was  elected  presiding  elder. 
Resolutions  expressive  of  continued  loyalty  to  the  Union  were 
adopted. 

Districts  :  Wabash,  M.  Hoehn,  presiding  elder;  White  River, 
J.  Fisher  ;  St.  Joseph,  M.  W.  Steffey ;  Michigan  Conference  Dis- 
trict, A.  Nicolai. 

Note. — The  year  1864  was  an  eventful  one  in  the  history  of  the 
Church.  Notwithstanding  the  ravages  of  Civil  War,  the  interests 
of  the  Church  were  not  only  maintained,  but  substantial  advance- 
ment was  made.  The  activity  of  the  Church  will  be  best  meas- 
ured by  a  reference  to  her  missionary  operations.  In  1863  the 
missionary  society  supported  106  missions ;  in  1864,  117;  again 
of  eleven.  This  year  three  missionaries  were  sent  to  found  our 
Evangelical  work  on  the  Pacific  slope,  viz. :  C.  F.  Deininger, 
J.  Croasman  and  M.  Guhl,  and  also  John  Waltz  as  an  addi- 
tional missionary  to  Germany.  One  feature  of  importance  was 
the  great  number  of  churches  built  during  this  and  several  pre- 
ceding years.  This  was  chiefly  owing  to  the  unprecedented 
development  of  the  great  Trans-Mississippi  country. 

1865.  East  Pa.  Conference,  AUentown,  Pa. ,  Feb.  22.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  S.  G.  Rhoads,  secretary  I.  Shugar  died. 
George  Focht  took  credentials  for  the  West.  O.  L.  Say- 
LOR,  L.  N.  Worman,  W.  W.  Rhoads,  J.  C.  Hornberger,  J.  N. 


348  EVANQELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Metzgar,  J.  Laros,  L.  Kolb,  A.  Leopold  and  D.  Yeakel  were 
licensed  on  trial.  J.  Fry  and  D.  Hambright  were  again  and 
W.  H.  Weidner,  L.  Worman,  J.  N.  Metzgar,  A.  H.  Overholt, 
J.  C.  HoRNBERGER,  A.  LEOPOLD  and  B.  Mover  were  newly 
received  into  the  itinerancy.  Ordained  elders  —  C.  K.  Fehr, 
R.  M.  LiCHTENWALNER,  L  E.  Knerr,C.  B.  Fliehr,  J.  Kurtz  and 
Seneca  Breyfogel.  Deacons — D.  Z.  Kembel,W.  H.  Weidner, 
B.  F.  BoHNER,  A.  GoETSCHEL,  G.  Harm  and  G.  Focht. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  L.  Snyder,  presiding  elder ;  Lehigh, 
J.  Yeakel;  Lebanon,  S.  Neitz;  Orwigsburg,  G.  T.  Haines. 

1865.  Central  Pa.  Conference, Williamsport,  Pa.,  March  2. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.Young,  secretary.  Philip  Smith 
died.  H.  A.  Stoke  was  received  into  the  itinerancy.  J.  H. 
Leas  and  F.  C.  Hoffman  were  ordained  elders,  and  J.  Bowersox, 
W.  E.  Detwiler,  p.  H.  Rishel  and  M.  Sloat  deacons.  A.  L. 
Reeser  and  J.  M.  McGraw  located.  Jacob  Hartzler  was 
elected  collector  for  the  Washington,  D.  C,  church. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  E.  Kohr,  presiding  elder;  Centre,  J. 
M.  Young ;  Susquehanna,  S.  Wolf. 

1865.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Allegheny  City,  March  8. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  J.  D.  Hollinger,  secretary.  J. 
Hane  and  William  Mauk  (local  preachers)  died.  The  latter 
fell  in  battle.  A.  Niebel,  G.  W.  Fisher,  C.  Stauffer  and  C. 
LiNDEMAN  were  granted  credentials  for  western  conferences.  J. 
Spotts  was  granted  license.  J.  Q.  A.  Weller,  J.  H.  Shafer, 
William  Stoll  and  George  Focht  received  appointments.  J.  D. 
Hollinger,  J.  J.  Barnhart  and  R.  Mott  were  ordained  elders 
and  S.  LowRv  and  William  Stoll  deacons.  Rochester  and 
Johnstown  were  constituted  missions.  Rev.  T.  Monismith  en- 
tered the  army  for  the  Union. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  presiding  elder ;  Erie, 
S.  B.  Kring;  Allegheny,  G.  W.  Cupp;  Somerset,  G.  S.  Domer. 

1865.  New  York  Conference,  Rochester,  N.Y.,  March  30. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  M.  Pfitzinger,  secretary.  A.Klein 
was  again  and  A.  Lusher  and  H.  Graves  were  newly  received 
into  the  itinerancy.  J.  Sechrist,  D.  Moose,  A.  Holzwarth 
and  C.  G.  Curtis  were  ordained  elders,  and  J.  Lerch  deacon. 
L.  Jacobv  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  D.  Fisher 
was  elected  to  the  same.  J.  Grenzenbach  died  during  the  year. 
All  the  preachers  reported  full  salary. 

Districts:  Albany,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder;  Buffalo,  D.Fisher. 


CONFEBEKCE  RECORDS. 


349 


1865.  Canada  Conference,  Berlin,  Can.,  April  6.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  G.  F.  Buesh,  secretary.  William  Witting- 
TON  was  granted  credentials  for  the  Ohio  Conference.  G.  Brown, 
C.  Steuernagel  and  J.  Ingram  were  licensed  on  trial.  W. 
WiTTiNGTON  was  Ordained  elder,  and  G.  Leaf  and  William 
ScHWAND  deacons. 

Districts:  Waterloo,  S.  Weber,  presiding  elder;  Hamilton, 
Frederick  Herlan. 

1865.  IllinoisConference,Washington,IlI., April 27.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  G.  W.  Lechler,  secretary.  S.  A.  Tobias 
and  J.  DuNLAP  located.  Val  Forkel  was  licensed.  Received 
into  the  itinerancy — Abraham  Niebel,C.  Hummel,  H.  Bucks,  V. 
Forkel,  F.  Steubig,  J.  G.  Esher  and  C.  Lindeman.  Ordained 
elders — M.  Stamm,  P.  Hoffman,  C.  Gagstetter  and  M.  Heyl. 
Deacons — L.  B.Tobias,  Peter  Himmel,  William  Fight  and  A. 
Wagoner.  E.  Musselman  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder 
and  S.  Dickover  was  elected  to  the  same.  H.  Rohland  was 
elected  agent  for  Northwestern  College.  Prof.  J.  H.  Lease  was 
received  into  conference  in  the  same  relation  he  sustained  in  the 
Central  Pa.  Conference. 

Districts:  Chicago,  C.  Augenstein,  presiding  elder ;  Peoria, 
J.  Shafle ;  Naperville,  C.  Kopp;  Freeport,  S.  Dickover. 

1865.  Ohio  Conference,  Tiffin,  O.,  May  4.  G.  F.  Spreng, 
president;  J.  G.  Zinzer,  secretary.  M.  Wonder  and  H.  Hen- 
sel  died.  J.  Honecker,  C.  A.  Munk,  H.  Faus  and  P.  Wiest 
located.  Licensed  on  trial — D.  Stoll,  S.  Hippert,  J.  Brown,  J. 
Jauch,  a.  S.  Hallowell,  J.  Kuenzeli,  F.  Kuenzeli,W.  Koenig, 
G.  Blasser,  J.  McIntyre,  C.  W.  Gray,  J.  Lawrence  and  S. 
Copley.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — W.  Wittington,  C. 
Weiss,  W.  Koenig,  G.  F.  Behner,  J.  Kuenzeli  and  A.  S.  Hal- 
owell.  H.  Frillman  and  Daniel  Brickley  withdrew  from  the 
Church.  Ordained  elders — D.  H.  Wonder,  J.  Frankhouser, 
J.  Felger,  J.  K.  Pontius  and  G.  Hasenpflug.  Deacons — C. 
Ehrhart,  L.  Nauman,  A.  Decker,  C.  Kuinzeli,  J.  Seigrist, 
O.  H.  Rhea,  C.  Bishop  and  L.  Mover.  J.  Stoll  was  re-elected 
presiding  elder.    The  districts  were  reduced  to  three. 

Districts :  Cleveland,  G.  F.  Spreng,  presiding  elder ;  San- 
dusky, J.  Stoll;  Scioto,  C.  Reinhold. 

1865.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Menomonee  Falls,  Wis.,  May 
4.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  W.  F.  Schneider,  secretary. 
<G.  Schaefer  died.    Joseph  Harlacher  joined  the  Iowa  Con- 


350  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


ference.  T.  Umbreit,  H.  Assman  and  F.  Moser  were  licensed 
on  trial.  E.  Bockemuehl  and  C.  F.  Finger' were  ordained 
elders  and  F.  Kurtz  deacons.  J.  Koch,  T.  Umbreit,  H.  Gue- 
LiCH  and  J.  Karcher  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  L. 
BuEHLER  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee,  H.  Huelster,  presiding  elder ;  Madi- 
son, A.  Huelster;  Fon  du  Lac,  L.  Buehler. 

1865.  Iowa  Conference,  East  Prairie,  Minn.,  May  12. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  J.  Hammeter,  secretary.  Anton 
Huelster  and  C.  W.  Anthony  were  licensed  on  trial.  Joseph 
Harlacher,  Anton  Huelster,  J.  Smith  and  C.  W.  Anthony 
were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Joseph  Raskoff  removed  ta 
the  Kansas  Conference.  J.  F.  Berner  and  F.  Emde  were 
ordained  elders,  and  W.  Gies,  J.  Nuhn,  L.  H.  Gehman,  E.Weis, 
J.  Von  Eschen  and  J.  Smith  deacons.  Conference  provided 
tombstones  for  the  brethren  slain  by  the  Indians  in  1862. 

Districts  :  Des  Moines,  R.  Dubs,  presiding  elder;  Dubuque, 
H.  Lageschulte ;  St.  Paul,  J.  Hammeter. 

1865.  Michigan  Conference,  first  annual  session,  Blissfield, 
Mich.,  April  12.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  Meck,  secre- 
tary. D.  C.  Rohland  located.  Wm.  Reinecke  was  licensed. 
J.  M.  FucHS  and  H.  B.  McBride  were  received  into  the  itin- 
erancy.   M.  Speck  and  J.  Borauf  were  ordained  elders. 

Districts:  Detroit,  Daniel  Strohman,  presiding  elder;  St» 
Joseph,  A.  Nicolai. 

1865.  Indiana  Conference,  South  Bend,  Ind.,  Sept.  14. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  M.  Mayer,  secretary.  H.  Meyer 
(local)  died.  M.  Condo  and  J.  Rosenberger  located.  S.  S. 
Albert,  S.  Shultz,  A.  Hartzler,  E.  Grim  and  S.  Shuh  were 
licensed,  and  C.  Ade,  of  the  U.  B.  Church,  was  received.  P. 
Wiest,  a.  Shultz,  J.  Castetter,  S.  S.  Albert,  C.  F.  Mathes, 
C.  Shuh,  C.  Ade,  A.  Hartzler  and  P.  Porr  were  received  into 
conference.  Ordained  elder — H.  L.  Fisher.  Deacons — J. 
Kaufman,  C.  Shamo,  G.  Zimmer  and  M.  Zimmer. 

Districts:  Wabash,  M.  Hoehn,  presiding  elder;  White  River, 
Joseph  Fisher;  Elkhart,  M.  W.  Steffey. 

1865.  Kansas  Conference  met  in  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  May 
26,  to  hold  its  first  regular  session.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president; 
C.  Berner,  secretary.  H.  Haas  was  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
Philip  Fricker  was  ordained  deacon,  and  S.  W.  McKesson, 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


851 


elder.  J.  Rahskopf,  of  the  Iowa  Conference,  was  received. 
G.  W.  BuGH,  of  the  Free  Methodist  Church,  was  admitted.  J. 

F.  ScHREiuER  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Appointments  :  Conference  District,  J.  F.  Schreiber,  presiding 
elder.  Leavenworth,  Jos.  Rahskopf;  Lawrence,  Philip  Fricker; 
Humboldt,  Chas.  Tobias;  Holton,  S.  W.  McKesson;  Big  Blue, 

G.  W.  Bugs;  Arago,  Ch.  Berner ;  Rockport,  H.  Haas. 
Note. — The  year  1865  was  marked  by  many  notable  events. 

The  country,  which  had  been  engaged  for  four  years  in  the  most 
sanguinary  war  of  modern  times,  experienced  the  return  of  peace 
during  this  year.  The  return  of  national  quietude,  the  restora- 
tion of  the  Union,  the  abolition  of  slavery,  and  other  matters  of 
national  interest,  are  all  materially  reflected  in  the  literature  and 
conference  proceedings  of  the  Church  during  this  eventful 
period.  The  Evangelical  Association  showed  a  remarkable  de- 
gree of  loyalty  for  the  cause  of  the  Union  during  the  Civil  War. 
Almost  every  session  of  the  annual  conference,  as  well  as  the 
General  Conference  of  1863,  passed  resolutions  breathing  the 
most  ardent  patriotism.  The  loyalty  of  the  Church  is  in  nothing 
more  manifest  than  in  the  vigorous  manner  in  which  the  Union 
cause  was  championed  by  the  periodicals,  and  the  hearty  en- 
dorsement of  the  editors  in  their  course  by  the  conferences. 
The  columns  of  the  paper  abound  with  communications  from 
the  camps,  battlefields  and  hospitals,  from  the  pens  of  Evangel- 
ical soldiers.  For  several  years  the  papers  maintained  a  cap- 
tion, "  Our  Patriotic  Dead"  under  which  appeared  weekly  the 
obituaries  of  our  fallen  brave.  Sometimes  the  number  was  very 
large,  especially  after  a  severe  battle.  From  six  to  eight  was 
nothing  unusual,  but  alas!  sometimes  the  number  was  far  greater. 
A  perusal  of  the  names  of  the  "Patriotic  Dead "  shows  how 
great  was  the  sacrifice  which  many  of  the  fathers  and  mothers  of 
our  Church  laid  on  the  altar  of  their  country.  Among  that 
number  is  a  grandson  of  the  founder  of  the  Church,  Jacob 
Albright,  a  gifted  son  of  Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig,  as  well  as 
preachers,  class-leaders  and  private  members  who  responded  to 
their  country's  call  and  paid  the  price  of  freedom  and  their 
country's  integrity  with  their  lives.  The  spirit  of  the  times  is 
also  reflected  in  the  poetic  effusions  which  appeared  from  time 
to  time  in  the  periodicals  of  the  Church.  We  subjoin  one,  as 
an  example,  from  the  pen  of  a  young  man  who  was  not  then  a 
minister,  but  who  has  since  endeared  himself  to  the  Church,  and 


352  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


acquired  a  national  reputation  as  a  forcible  writer,  an  eloquent 
preacher  and  a  gifted  poet. 

The  Fallen  Heroes.* 

[Air  of  "The  Prairie  Flower.") 

"  Fold  the  starry  banner,  hush  the  rolling  drum 
Tread  with  rev'rend  footsteps  as  ye  come, 
Sheathe  the  gleaming  sabre,  sadly  bow  the  head, 
Drop  a  tear  above  the  dead. 

Cho. — Peace  to  the  fallen  !  where'er  they  rest, 
Light  lie  the  sods  on  every  breast. 
In  the  starry  future  may  they  richly  reap — 
Then  let  the  gallant  heroes  sleep  ! 

'Neath  the  heaving  billows,  in  the  roaring  main, 
On  the  rugged  hillside,  on  the  plain. 
Where  the  shock  of  battle  rent  the  shrouded  sky,  . 
There  the  gallant  heroes  lie. 

Soon  the  smoke  of  battle  shall  be  swept  away, 
And  the  dawning  morning  bring  the  day. 
Then  the  light  of  freedom  shall  forever  glow 
And  the  hero's  laurel  grow. 

Flow'ry  be  the  valleys,  green  the  sacred  hills 
Where  each  narrow  tomb  a  freeman  fills. 
And  the  flag  of  freedom,  may  it  ever  wave. 
Hallowed  by  each  soldier's  grave. ' ' 

— H.  B.  Hartzler. 

Nov.  2,  1865,  the  Missionary  Society  held  its  twenty-sixth  an- 
nual session  at  Dayton,  Ohio.  One  hundred  and  twenty-four 
missions  were  reported — a  gain  of  seven  over  the  previous  year, 
and  upwards  of  2,000  conversions.  The  contributions  for  home 
and  foreign  missions  were  $42,000 — a  gain  of  $7,000  over  the 
previous  year. 

J.  Kaechele,  of  the  Canada  Conference,  was  appointed  as  an 
additional  missionary  to  Germany. 

1866.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa.,  Feb. 
28.  Bishop  Jos.  Long,  president;  Fr.  Krecker,  secretary.  B. 
Mover  located.  Received  on  trial,  H.  Oehrle,  J.  Hunsberger, 
F.  Leuther,  a.  Yeakel,  C.  Burkhart,  E.  Snyder,  W.  Loose, 
J.  L.  Werner,  B.  J.  Smover,  G.  H.  Landis,  J.  R.  Siegfried, 


*  From  Evangelical  Messenger,  Feb.  24,  1864. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


35d 


W.  K.  WiEAND  and  J.  S.  Scheimer,  Received  into  the  itiner- 
ancy, J.  Laros,  S.  Ely,  J.  S.  Scheimer,  W.  K.  Wieand,  D. 
Mertz,  J.  K.  Knerr  and  B.  J.  Smoyer,  and  R.  Litzenberger, 
(again).  Ordained  deacons,  S.  B.  Brown,  A.  H.  Overholt, 
A.  Leopold  and  S.  Ely.  S.  Neitz  was  re-elected,  and  J.  P. 
Leib  newly  elected  presiding  elder.  An  English  mission  was 
located  in  Lancaster. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  S.  Neitz,  presiding  elder;  Easton, 
J.  Yeakel;  Allentown,  G.  T.  Haines;  Reading,  L.  Snyder; 
Pottsville,  J.  P.  Leib. 

1866.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  8. 
Jos.  Long,  president ;  J.  Young,  secretary.  L.  May,  itinerant 
and  J.  Wilhelm  and  D.  Oberdorf,  locals,  died.  J.  M.  Ett- 
inger  and  B.  F.  Winegarden  received  license.  M.  Sloat  and 
S.  I.  Shortess  were  recommended  to  the  presiding  elder  for 
work.  I.  M.  Pines,  T.  M.  Morris,  I.  Y.  Reed,  F.  Methfes- 
SEL  and  W.  H.  Davis  were  ordained  elders,  and  H.  W.  Buck, 
H.  A.  Stoke,  J.  Snavely,  J.  G.  M.  Swengel  and  A.  Snyder, 
deacons.  E.  Kohr  was  re-elected  presiding  elder.  Jacob 
Henn  was  appointed  collector  for  Washington  City  Mission. 
Lock  Haven  Mission  was  established. 

Districts :  Baltimore,  J.  M.  Young,  presiding  elder ;  Centre 
S.  Wolf;  Susquehanna,  E.  Kohr.  Prof.  F.  C.  Hoffman,  presi- 
dent of  Union  Seminary. 

1866.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  March  14. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  R. Yeakel,  secretary.  Licensed — L. 
M.  BoYER,  E.  B.  Arthur,  W.  J.  Hahn  and  A.  W.  Teats.  J.  S. 
Hyde  died.  A.  R.  Teats  located.  A.  Stahle,  J.  G.  Pfeuffer 
and  T.  Monismimh  took  credentials  for  western  conferences. 
Received  into  the  itinerancy — L.  Ross,  E.  B.  Arthur,  S.  Book- 
man, L.  M.  Boyer,  H.  Rhoads,  L.  B.  Donmeyer,  S.  Werner, 
J.  Q.  A.  Weller,  J.  H.  Shaffer,  P.  Plotts  and  C.  G.  Koch. 
Ordained  Elders — J.  D.  Domer,  H.  B.  Summers,  C.  F.  Har- 
TUNG,  S.  Vandersal,  T.  Monismith,  J.  Q.  A.  Weller,  C.  W. 
Davis,  J.  H.  Shaffer  and  S.  Bookman.  Deacons — L.  Ross 
and  H.  Rhoads.  D.  S.  Poling  was  newly  elected  presiding 
elder. 

Districts :  Pittsburg,  S.  B.  Kring,  presiding  elder ;  Erie,  G. 
W.  Cupp ;  Allegheny,  G.  S.  Domer ;  Somerset,  D.  S.  Poling. 

1866.  New  York  Conference,  Lyons,  N.  Y.,  March  29. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;    M.  Pfitzinger,  secretary.  J. 


354 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


LuTTENBERGER,  M.  Yauch  and  A.  Unholtz  were  licensed.  C. 
A.  WissEMAN,  H.  Fisher,  C.  Schoeflein  and  H.  Graves 
were  ordained  elders. 

Districts:  Albany,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder;  Buffalo,  D. 
Fisher. 

1866.  Canada  Conference,  Hamburg,  C.  W.,  April  5. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  G.  F.  Buesh,  secretary.  M. 
Maurer,  G.  Bernhart  and  J.  Andes  were  licensed.  L.  Roth- 
ERMEL,  W.  ScHAND  and  R.  Clark  were  ordained  deacons.  J. 
Wagoner  joined  the  Iowa  Conference.  P.  Winkler,  C. 
Steuernagel,  M.  Maurer,  G.  Brown  and  F.  Scharf  were  re- 
ceived into  the  itinerancy.  J.  Kaechele  took  an  appointment 
from  the  Board  of  Missions  as  missionary  to  Germany.  Jos. 
Umbach  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Waterloo,  Jos.  Umbach,  presiding  elder ;  Hamil- 
ton, F.  Herlan. 

1866.  Kankakee,  111.,  April,  12.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher, 
president;  Geo.  Vetter,  se.cretary.  C.  Bucks,  J.  Brewer,  M. 
Eller,  W.  W.  Shuler,  p.  Wagoner  and  A.  Davis  were  licensed. 
W.  W.  Shuler,  J.  Riegel,  J.  P.  Wengerd,  M.  Ellea,  G. 
Ramige,  S.  a.  Tobias,  A.  Davis  and  A.  Stahle  were  received 
into  the  intinerancy.  C.  Augenstein  was  re-elected,  and  John 
Schneider  was  newly  elected  presiding  elder.  Full  salary  for 
the  preachers  was  reported. 

Districts:  Chicago,  C.  Augenstein,  presiding  elder;  Naper- 
ville,  J.  Schneider;  Freeport,  S.  Dickover;  Peoria,  J.  Schafle. 

1866.  Michigan  Conference,  Emanuels  Church,  near  Ann 
Arbor,  Mich.,  April  12.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  Meck, 
secretary.  J.  Orth  was  licensed.  L.  Engel  was  received  on 
probation.  M.  J.  Miller,  (formerly  of  Kansas  Conference),  L. 
Engel,  S.  Coplv  and  C.  S.  Brown  were  received  into  the  itin- 
erancy. J.  M.  FucHS  and  C.  Beuckel  were  ordained  deacons. 
Daniel  Strohman  joined  the  Ohio  Conference.  M.  J.  Miller 
was  elected  presiding  elder.  Preachers  of  this  conference  were 
forbidden  from  uniting  with  any  secret  society. 

Districts :  Detroit,  M.  J.  Miller,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Joseph, 
A.  Nicolai. 

1866.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Madison,  Wis.,  April  19. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  W.  Horn,  secretary.  Received 
on  trial — J.  P.  Viel,  J.  Kahl,  G.  Kaufman,  T.  Traver  and  G. 
Zimmerman.    Ordained  elders — W.  Horn,  F.  Kaufman,  L. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


855 


Stroebel,  M.  WiTTENWYtER,  P.  Speith  and  F.  Zimmerman. 
Deacons — W.  Heulster,  J.  Karchner  and  W.  Pfefferkorn. 
Secret  societies  were  deprecated,  and  no  one  shall  be  received  as 
a  preacher  in  this  conference  who  is  a  member  of  such  a  society. 

Districts :  Milwaukee,  H.  Huelster,  presiding  elder ;  Fon  du 
Lac,  L.  Buehler;  Madison,  A.  Huelster. 

1866.  Ohio  Conference,  Cleveland,  O.,  May  3.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  J.  G.  Zinzer,  secretary.  Licensed  —  S. 
Rife,  C.  Negle  and  B.  Berry.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — 
G.  Blasser,  D.  Stoll,  C.  Negle,  L.  Schleich  and  P.W.  Hahn. 
Located — G.  Ha.senpflug,  F.  Zeller,  H.  G.  Ray,  J.  J.  Kopf, 

G.  Haley,  G.  Shott  and  G.  F.  Behner.  A.  Wehr  was  ordained 
elder.  An  orphan  home  was  established  and  J.  G.  Zinzer  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  the  same.  Resolutions  deprecating 
secret  societies  were  re-enacted. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  G.  F.  Spreng,  presiding  elder ;  San- 
dusky, J.  Stoll;  Scioto,  C.  M.  Reinhold. 

1866.  Kansas  Conference,  Leavenworth,  Kan.,  March  30. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  J.Wuerth 
was  received  on  probation.  G.  W.  Bugh,  J.  Wuerth  and  J.  G. 
Pfeuffer  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Conference  resolved 
not  to  admit  any  minister  into  their  body  who  is  a  member  of  a 
secret  society.    J.  F.  Schreibfr,  presiding  elder. 

1866.  Iowa  Conference,  East  Prairie,  Minn.,  May  18. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  R.  Dubs,  secretary.  E.  Wise 
and  J.  Schmidt,  Sr.,  located.  J.  F.  Hahn,  H.  Brauer,  C.  H. 
Egge,  F.  Beltzer,  A.  Knebel,  L.  Rohland  and  S.  Reep 
were  licensed.    Received  into  the  itinerancy — L.  Eberhart,  J. 

F.  Yerger,  C.  H.  Egge,  N.  H.  Diehl,  F.  Beltzer,  G.  C. 
Brauer,  J.  Kuehnholtz,  C.  Werner,  A.  Knebel,  G.  Simon, 
J.  F.  Hahn,  T.  Monismith  and  J.  Wagoner.   Ordained  elders — 

H.  Holdridge,  H.  Bunse  and  E.  Bauman.  Deacons — C.  Esher 
and  M.  Wunderlich. 

Districts :  Des  Moines,  R.  Dubs,  presiding  elder ;  Dubuque, 
H.  Lageschulte ;  St.  Paul,  J.  Hammetter. 

1866.  Indiana  Conference,  Evansville,  Ind.,  Sept.  13. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  M.  Mayer,  secretary.    E.  Evans, 

G.  Klepfer  and  G.  Zimmer  located.  A.  B.  Schaeffer  was 
superannuated.  P.  Miller,  E.  Condo,  F.  Louner,  J.  Miller 
and  J.  Mayer  were  licensed.    G.  Schmoll,  C.  Heim  and  D.  S. 


358  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Oaks  were  ordained  elders.  J.  Berger,  A.  Parker,  S.  Kip- 
linger,  C.  Ade  and  C.  F.  Mathias,  deacons. 

Districts:  Wabash,  M.  Hoehn,  presiding  elder ;  White  River, 
Joseph  Fisher ;  Elkhart,  M.  W.  Steffey. 

Note.  — The  general  interests  of  the  Church  prospered  measur- 
ably during  the  year  1866.  The  Missionary  Society  held  its  annual 
session  at  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Nov.  i.  The  proposed  heathen  mission 
was  again  discussed,  and  a  mission  proposed  to  be  established 
among  the  freedmen  of  the  South.  The  receipts  for  home  and 
foreign  missions  were  $39,000,  a  decrease  of  almost  $3,000  from 
last  year.  The  number  of  missions  was  137,  an  increase  of  13, 
and  near  3,000  souls  were  converted  on  the  mission  charges. 

1867.  EastPa. Conference,  Bethlehem, Pa., Feb.  27.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  J.  Koehl,  secretary.  J.  A.  Apgar  and 
R.  Litzenberger  located.  Licensed — B.  D.  Albright,  J.  P. 
Smith,  W.  A.  Leopold,  F.  Sechrist,  I.  Zimmerman,  H.  A. 
Neitz,  a.  Kindt,  J.  Shimer  and  L.  Ruhl.  Received  into  the 
itinerancy — H.  A.  Neitz,  J.  C.  Bliem,  G.  Scharf,  W.  A.  Leo- 
pold, J.  G.  Sands,  B.  D.  Albright  and  E.  A.  Hoffman.  Or- 
dained elders — D.  Lentz,  W.  H.  Weidner,  A.  Getschel  and 
D.  Z.  Kembel.  Deacons — L.  T.  Worman,  J.  K.  Knerr,  J.  C. 
Hornberger,  J.  N.  Metzgar,  G.  Scharf  and  L.  Miller.  J. 
Yeakel  was  re-elected  presiding  elder.  The  Conference  organ- 
ized itself  into  a  church  building  society.  C.  B.  Fliehr  was 
appointed  to  collect  money  for  church  building. 

Districts :  Philadelphia,  S.  Neitz,  presiding  elder ;  Easton, 
G.  T.  Haines;  Allento^,  J.  Yeakel;  Reading,  L.  Snyder; 
Pottsville,  J.  P.  Leib. 

1867.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  New  Kingston,  Pa.,  March 
7.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  J.  Young,  secretary.  Licensed 
— J.  Shuler,  J.  M.  Price,  W,  H.  Houtz,  J.  Bear,  A.  W. 
Kremer,  J.  W.  Bentz,  U.  F.  Swengel  and  W.  P.  Thomas. 
Ordained  elders — W.  E.  Detwiler  and  J.  Bowersox.  Deacons 
— S.  I.  Shortess  and  J.  N.  Allen.  Received  into  the  itiner- 
ancy— J.  M.  Ettinger,  W.  p.  Thomas,  J.  W.  Bentz,  U.  F. 
Swengel,  A.  W.  Kramer,  M.  Sloat  and  S.  I.  Shortess.  Glen 
Rock,  Danville  and  Scranton  were  constituted  missions. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  J.  M.  Young,  presiding  elder;  Centre, 
S.  Wolf;  Susquehanna,  E.  Kohr. 

1867.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Warren,  Pa.,  March  13. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  R.  Yeakel,  secretary.    J.  M. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


357 


ZiRKEL  located.  A.  Loehner  joined  the  Ohio  Conference.  J. 
Kern,  G.  W.  Brown,  J.  S.  Grimm,  J.  Dooley,  J.  W.  Reichard, 
J.  Dovenspike,  J.  Keller  and  J.  Fogel  were  licensed.  Ordained 
elders — W.  H.  Stoll,  G.  Focht,  L.  B.  Donmyer.  Deacons — 
L.  M.  BoYER,  S.  Werner,  T.  S.  Messner  and  P.  W.  Plotts. 
J.  Rank  was  granted  credentials. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  S.  B.  Kring,  presiding  elder;  Erie,  G. 
W.  Cupp;  Alleghany,  G.  S.  Domer;  Somerset,  D.  S.  Poling. 

1867.  New  York  Conference,  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  March  29. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  M.  Lauer,  secretary.  P. 
Glantz  and  E.  Wier  were  licensed.  A.  Unholtz  and  P. 
Glantz  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  J.  Lerch  was  or- 
dained elder,  and  A.  Luscher  and  L,  Herman  deacons.  D. 
Moos  was  granted  credentials. 

Districts :  Albany,  M.  Lehn,  presiding  elder ;  Buffalo,  D. 
Fisher. 

1867.  Canada  Conference,  St.  Jacobs,  C.  W.,  April  4. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  R. 
Clark  located.  J.  Martzolf  and  G.  M.  Groff  were  licensed. 
H.  Werner  was  ordained  elder,  and  C.  Steuernagel  and  G. 
Brown  deacons.    W.  Schmidt  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Waterloo,  Jos.  Umbach,  presiding  elder ;  Hamil- 
ton, Wm.  Schmidt. 

1867.  Ohio  Conference,  West  Salem,  O.,  May  2.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  Zinzer,  secretary.  Located — L. 
Schleich,  Jos.  Dick,  T.  George  and  G.  F.  Spreng.  H.  G. 
Rhea,  J.  Brown  and  S.  Strome  (locals)  died.  Received  on 
trial — G.  A.  Sickel,  G.  W.  Phillips,  F.  Graff,  N.  Shupp  and 
J.  Platz.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — S.  Hippert,  B.  Berry, 
Jonas  Strome  and  John  Honnecker.  Ordained  elders — C. 
Erhart,  C.  Kinzeli.  H.  F.  Sichley,  L.  Nauman  and  A. 
Deckert.  Deacons — J.  Kinzeli,  D.  Stoll,  G.  Blasser  and 
W.  King. 

Districts :  Cleveland,  J.  Stull,  presiding  elder ;  Sandusky, 
D.  Strohman;  Scioto,  C.  M.  Reinhold. 

1867,  Illinois  Conference,  Naperville,  111.,  April  11. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  H.  Bucks,  secretary.  Licensed — 
H.  Finger,  H.  Heine,  H.  Meier,  G.  Bosser,  J.  Cabel,  also 
R.  Morrv  (of  the  U.  B.  Church).  D.  B.  Byers,  R.  Morry, 
H.  Meier  and  H.  Finger  were  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
Ordained  elders — P.  Himmel  and  L.  B.  Tobias.  Deacons — 


358  E  VA  NGELICAL  AS80G1A  TION  ANNALS. 


W.  Shuler,  a.  Lieberknecht.  v.  Forkel  and  P.  Leidner. 
English  missions  were  established  at  Naperville  and  Freeport. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  Ch.  Augenstein,  presiding  elder ;  Naper- 
ville, J.  Schneider;  Freeport,  S.  Dickover;  Peoria,  J.  Schaffle. 

1867.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Racine,  Wis.,  April  15. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary.  F. 
Traeger  (local)  died.  H.  Esch  and  F.  Zimmerman  located. 
F.  Assman,  a.  Rash,  G.  Lihs,  F.  Gloege,  P.  Port,  O.  Knet- 
terling  and  C.  Seiberling  were  licensed.  Ordained  elder — 
F.  Kurtz.  Deacons — F.  Stroebel,  J.  Koch,  H.  Guelich,  T. 
Umbreit  and  J.  T.  Vail.  All  the  preachers  shall,  during  the  year, 
preach  at  least  one  sermon  on  education.  Full  salary  was 
reported. 

Districts :  Milwaukee,  A.  Huelster,  presiding  elder ;  Madison, 
H.  Shelp;  Fon  du  Lac,  L.  Buehler;  Mississippi,  G.  Fritsche. 

1867.  Iowa  Conference,  Grand  View,  Iowa,  May  6.  Bishop 
Joseph  Long,  president;  R.  Dubs,  secretary.  Located — N. 
H.  DiEHLE,  C.  W.  Anthony  and  Anton  Huelster,  the  laRer 
going  to  Germany  to  attend  a  university.  J.  Keiper  took  cre- 
dentials. J.  Hammetter  died.  Ordained  elders — J.  Nuhn, 
W.  GiEs,  J.  Von  Eschen.  Deacons — Anton  Huelster,  J. 
F.  Yerger,  H.  Brauer  and  H.  Kohl.  Licensed — G.  Herring, 
E.  Mell,  L.  Mueller,  F.  Dreblow  and  R.  Baker.  Received 
into  conference — A.  Loehner,  of  the  Pittsburg,  E.  H.  Shultz, 
of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  and  E.  Mell,  D.  Baker,  D.  H. 
KooKER,  G.  Knebel  and  H.  Kohl.  W.  Stegner  was  elected 
presiding  elder.  Conference  prospectively  formed  the  Minne- 
sota Conference. 

Districts:  Des  Moines,  R.  Dubs,  presiding  elder;  Dubuque, 
H.  Lageschulte ;  St.  Paul,  W.  Stegner. 

1867.  Kansas  Conference,  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  March  8. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — 
W.  Folger,  H.  Mattill  and  D.  Zoeller.  Ordained  elder — 
Wm.  Fricker.  Deacons — H.  Haas,  C.  Trimmer,  J.  Wuerth 
and  G.  W.  Bugs.  J.  F.  Schreiber,  presiding  elder  of  the  con- 
ference district. 

1867.  Indiana  Conference,  Dayton,  O.,  Sept.  5.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  M.  Mayer,  secretary.  C.  Shuh  and  W. 
Wessler  located.  J.  Miller  (local)  died.  Licensed — W.  H. 
HoNSTETT,  G.  W.  Wales,  H.  W.  Funk  and  Jacob  Trover.  Re- 
ceived into  the  itinerancy — P.  Miller,  E.  E.  Condo,  F.  Launer, 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


359 


J.  Miller,  J.  A.  Maier,  D.  J.  Pontius,  J.  Keiper,  G.  W.  Walse 
and  W.  H.  HoNSTETT.  Ordained  elder — J.Kaufman.  Deacons 
— C.  Shuh,  S.  S.  Albert,  A.  Hartzler  and  D.  J.  Pcntius.  M. 
Krueger,  M.  MAYERand  G.  G.  Platz  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Wabash,  G.  G.  Platz,  presiding  elder  ;  Elkhart,  M. 
Kreuger;  White  River,  M.  Mayer. 

1867.  Michigan  Conference,  Portage  Prairie,  Mich.,  April 
II.  Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  M.  Haug,  secretary. 
Benjamin  Wade,  E.  Weiss,  Joseph  Birk  and  Jacob  Young 
received  license  to  preach.    C.  S.  Braun  was  ordained  deacon. 

Districts  :  Detroit,  M.  J.  Miller,  presiding  elder  ;  St.  Joseph, 
A.  Nicolai. 

Notes  of  Progress. — In  1866  a  gentleman  of  Louisville, 
Ky.,  who  had  purchased  a  fine  church  from  another  denomina- 
tion, offered  it  on  very  reasonable  terms  to  the  Indiana  Confer- 
ence. The  offer  was  accepted,  and  in  1867  J.  M.  Gomer  was 
appointed  pastor  and  collector  for  the  Church.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  our  work  in  Kentucky. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


Fourteenth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
Oct.  io,  1867, 

1867,  General  Conference,  fourteenth  session,  Pittsburg, 
Pa.,  Oct.  10.  Bishops  J.  Long  and  J.  J.  Esher,  presidents; 
R.  Yeakel,  secretary. 

Considerable  time  was  consumed  in  examining  the  charges 
for  heresy  brought  against  Rev.  S.  Neitz.  At  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1859  complaints  were  made  against  him  concerning 
his  views  on  the  subject  of  sanctification.  The  charges  were 
revived  at  this  session.  The  report  of  the  committee,  which  was 
adopted,  is  as  follows:  "Resolved,  that  after  thoroughly  exam- 
ining the  above-named  sermon,*  in  the  light  of  the  Scriptures 
and  our  disciplinary  article,  we  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
he  (Neitz)  makes  use  of  terms,  phrases  and  figures  of  speech  of 
which  we  decidedly  disapprove,  but  upon  his  explanation,  it 
appears  to  us  that  he  does  not  design  to  teach  doctrines  essen- 
tially different  from  those  held  by  our  Church,  and  therefore  we 
unanimously  recommend  his  acquittal." 

Inasmuch  as  divergent  opinions  prevailed  concerning  the 
views  of  the  Church  on  the  subject  of  sanctification,  a  committee 
was  appointed  consisting  of  Bishops  Long  and  Esher,  and  F. 
Hoffman,  E.  Kohr,  T.  G.  Clewell,  D.  Fisher,  H.  Rohland, 
H.  Huelster,  John  Dreisbach,  W.  Smith,  M.  Kreuger,  M.  J. 
Miller,  H.  Lageschulte  and  J.  F.  Schreiber  to  formulate  the 
views  of  the  Church  on  that  doctrine.  The  report  of  the  com- 
mittee was  adopted,  and  is  essentially  the  same  as  found  incor- 
porated in  the  book  of  Discipline.  After  its  adoption  Bishop 
Long,  the  chairman,  said :  "I  wish  just  here  to  remark  that  the 


*  Published  in  the  Lehigh  County  Patriot,  1867. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


General  Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Association  has  now  voted 
unanimously,  and  if  this  is  not  paramount  authority  there  is  none 
in  the  Church." 

The  Committee  on  the  State  of  the  Country  submitted  a  report, 
which  was  adopted,  and  of  which  the  following  is  a  summary  : 

"Preamble.  At  the  time  of  the  session  of  the  last  General 
Conference  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  in  1863,  the  battle  with  the  rebels 
of  the  South  for  justice,  order  and  liberty  still  raged  fiercely. 
By  the  help  of  God  and  the  bravery  of  our  soldiers  the  govern- 
ment finally  achieved  the  victory  over  treason  and  slavery.  With 
the  overthrow  of  the  rebellion,  many  difficult  questions  regarding 
the  reconstruction  of  the  Southern  States  presented  themselves, 
for  solution  of  which,  to  the  welfare  of  those  concerned,  great 
wisdom  and  moderation  were  necessary.  Now  as  this  body 
expressed  itself  with  regard  to  the  state  of  the  country  at  our  last 
session,  we  owe  it  to  ourselves  to  speak  out  again ;  therefore, 

"Resolved,  i.  That  we,  and  our  entire  nation,  owe  the  most 
heartfelt  thanks  to  God  for  the  victory  he  has  vouchsafed  to 

US        ^  ^ 

"2.  That  we  owe  this  victory  under  God  to  the  patriotic 
bravery  of  our  fellow-citizens  who  ventured  their  lives  for  our 
country  and  liberty.  *  *  *  Our  members  and  brethren  in  the 
Lord  have  conducted  themselves  worthy  of  all  praise  by  entering 
heroically  into  battle  for  the  dearest  rights  of  our  fatherland, 
and  holding  fast  at  the  same  time  to  the  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ.  Many  of  these  dear  ones  fell  in  the  struggle,  and  sealed 
their  love  of  liberty  with  their  blood. 

"3.  That  this  chastisement  is  intended  to  teach  us  our  de- 
pendence upon  God.  The  best  institutions  of  our  land  are  useless 
if  God  is  not  with  us."  (Then  follows  a  deprecation  of  the  fact 
that  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States  gives  no  intimation 
that  we  are  a  Christian  nation,  and  hearty  co-operation  in  the 
movement,  then  so  prominent,  to  introduce  the  recognition  of  the 
Supreme  Being  in  the  constitution. 

"4.  That  we  deplore  the  inattention  of  the  people  to  the 
voice  of  God  in  this  chastisement. 

"5.  That  we  deplore  that  a  disposition  is  manifested  here 
and  there  to  sacrifice  moral  principals  to  those  infidels  who  want 
to  have  our  wholesome  Sunday  laws,  and  the  legislative  acts  of 
several  states  respecting  the  cause  of  temperance,  abolished  forth- 
with.   No  compromise  in  order  to  secure  political  power  and  a 


362 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


false  peace  ought  to  be  made  with  these  pioneers  of  social  and  civil 
dissolution,  but  we  ought  to  stand  immovably  upon  these  noble 
institutions,  even  if  we  should  suffer  temporary  political  defeat. 

"6.  Relates  to  the  abolition  of  slavery  and  the  reconstruc- 
tion of  the  South. 

"7.  Deprecates  the  course  of  President  Johnson  in  obstruct- 
ing the  measures  of  Congress  in  dealing  with  the  important  issues 
of  the  day. 

A  form  of  trust  and  incorporation  clauses  were  submitted  and 
approved,  to  be  inserted  in  the  Discipline  for  the  securing  of 
churches,  parsonages  and  other  property  to  the  control  of  the 
Evangelical  Association. 

One  of  the  most  important  actions  of  this  conference  was  the 
adoption  of  a  resolution  as  found  embodied  in  Section  74  of  the 
Discipline,  constituting  the  General  Conference  "the  supreme 
court  of  law  in  the  Church." 

"The  Committee  on  Revision  recommended  that  the  recom- 
mendation from  the  annual  conferences,  which  changes  the  basis 
for  the  election  of  a  delegate  from  seven  to  ten  preachers,  and 
which  has  already  been  rejected,  be  now  reconsidered.  Recon- 
sideration was  carried,  and  the  recommendation  adopted." 

A  recommendation  was  adopted,  empowering  the  General 
Conference  to  send  recommendations  for  adoption  to  the  annual 
conferences. 

Dr.  William  Nast,  fraternal  delegate  from  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  addressed  the  conference.  The  Ebenezer 
Orphan  Home,  founded  by  the  Ohio  Conference  was  made  denom- 
inational. The  Minnesota  Conference  was  formed.  Biohops  J. 
Long  and  J.  J.  Esher  were  re-elected ;  W.  W.  Orwig  was  elected 
chief  book  agent ;  R.  Dubs,  editor  of  the  Christ liche  Botschafter  ; 
T.  G.  Clewell,  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger;  R.  Yeakel, 
editor  of  Sunday-School  and  Tract  Literature ;  J.  G.  VVolpert, 
book  agent  in  Germany  and  editor  of  Evangelische  Botschafter; 
W.  Yost,  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society;  J. 
G.  Zinzer,  superintendent  of  Orphan  Home.  The  following  reso- 
lution was  adopted  by  a  vote  of  sixty-six  yeas  to  eleven  nays,  as 
a  recommendation  to  the  annual  conferences : 

^'Resolved,  That  the  book  agent,  the  editor  of  \htChristliche 
Botschafter,  the  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  the  editor 
of  the  Sunday-School  Literature,  the  corresponding  secretary  of 
the  Missionary  Society  and  the  bishops,  at  the  time  when  they 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


363 


are  not  in  the  chair,  be  members  of  the  General  Conference, 
tx-Ojfficio,  provided  they  are  elders,  but  that  the  annual  confer- 
ences to  which  they  may  belong  shall  not,  in  making  up  the 
number  of  delegates  to  be  elected  by  them,  count  the  above- 
named  officers  of  the  book  establishment."  'This  was  the  begin- 
ning of  ex-officio  representation,  a  measure  fraught  with  danger, 
and  a  source  of  frequent  disquietude  to  the  Church. 

Delegates. — East  Pa.  Conference. — S.  Neitz,  J.  P.  Leib,  L. 
Snyder,  F.  Hoffman,  T.  Bowman,  C.  S.  Haman,  S.  G.  Rhoads, 
F.  Krecker,  J.  Koehl  and  C.  Meyers.  Alternates — J.  Adams 
and  J.  Hess. 

Central  Pa.  Conference. — E.  Kohr,  J.  M.  Young,  M.  J.  Caro- 
thers,  J.  Young,  S.  Wolf,  S.  W.  Seibert,  Z.  Hornberger,  S.  Smith. 
Alternates — A.  Ettinger  and  J.  C.  Farnsworth. 

Pittsburg  Conference. — S.  B.  Kring,  G.  S.  Domer,  G.  W. 
Cupp,  C.  G.  Koch,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  T.  G.  Clewell,  R.  Yeakel, 
J.  D.  Hollinger. 

New  York  Conference. — M.  Lehn,  M.  Lauer,  D.  Fisher,  M. 
Pfitzinger. 

Illinois  Conference. — John  Schneider,  S.  Dickover,  J.  Schaffle, 
H.  Rohland,  C.  Kopp,  S.  A.  Tobias,  J.  F.  Schnee,  G.W.  Lechler, 
C.  Hummel,  J.  G.  Esher,  William  Goessele,  C.  Augenstein. 

Ohio  Conference. — C.  Hammer,  J.  Stull,  W.  W.  Orwig,  D. 
Strohraan,  C.  M.  Reinhold,  John  Dreisbach,  W.  Yost,  J.  G.  Zin- 
zer,  G.  F.  Spreng,  L.  Sheuerman. 

Indiana  Conference. — M.  W.  Steffey,  M.  Krueger,  M.  Maier, 
A.  B.  Shafer,  G.  G.  Platz,  M.  Hoehn. 

Wisconsin  Conference. — C.  Fritche,  L.  Buehler,  A.  Huelster, 
H.  Shelp,  W.  F,  Schneider,  H.  Huelster. 

Michigan  Conference. — M.  J.  Miller,  A.  Nicolai,  J.  Meek. 

Canada  Conference. — S.  Weber,  W.  Smith,  Frederick  Herlan, 
P.  Alles. 

Iowa  Conference. — R.  Dubs,  H.  Lageschulte,  W.  Stegner,  H. 
J.  Bowman,  H.  E.  Linse,  A.  Strohmeier. 
Kansas  Conference. — J.  F.  Schreiber. 

1868.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Reading,  Pa.,  Feb.  26.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president ;  S.  G.  Rhoads,  secretary.  C.  Loos  located. 
A.  GoETSCHEL  received  credentials.  W.  Dewees  (local)  died. 
Licensed — E.  Shultz,  I.  Hoch,  J.  Shaffer,  B.  Wimmer,  S. 
Light,  W.  A.  Shoemaker,  A.  M.  Stirk,  J.  K.  Lutz,  R.  Drie- 
BELBis,  S.  Engel  and  B.  H.  Miller.    Ordained  elders — B.  F. 


364  E VANQELICAL  A8S0CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


BoHNER,  S.  Ely,  A.  F.  Leopold,  S.  B.  Brown,  A.  H.  Overholt, 
J.  C.  Bliem  and  D.  Mertz.  Deacons — J.  S.  Shimer,  J.  G. 
Sands,  W.  K.  Wieand,  J.  Laros,  E.  A.  Hoffman,  B.  J.  Smoyer, 

H.  A.  Neitz  and  S.  Frankenfield.  J.  M.  Saylor  and  F.  Hoff- 
man  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts:   Philadelphia,  S.  Neitz,  presiding  elder;  Easton, 

F.  Hoffman ;  Allentown,  J.  Yeakel ;  Reading,  J.  M.  Saylor  > 
Pottsville,  J.  P.  Leib. 

1868.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  March  5, 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  J.  Young,  secretary.  W.  Reeser 
located,  H.  Althouse  was  granted  credentials.  Died — Father 
James  Barber,  also  D.  L.  Sutton  and  H.  Hippenstiel  (locals). 
D.  A.  Kepner,  H.  Ream,  G.  E.  Zehner,  J.  M.  Price,  J.  Man- 
beck,  C.  H.  Gramley  and  S.  P.  Remer  were  receired  into  the 
itinerancy.  Ordained  elders — P.  H.  Rishel,  H.  W.  Buck,  H, 
A.  Stoke,  J.  G.  M.  Swengel  and  M.  Sloat.  Deacons — J.  W, 
Bentz,  B.  W.  a.  Young  and  H.  Wilhelm.  M.  J.  Carothers 
and  Jacob  Young  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Centre,  M.  J.  Carothers,  presiding  elder;  Susque- 
hanna, E.  Kohr;  Baltimore,  J.Young. 

1868.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Rochester,  Pa.,  March  12. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  J.  D.  Hollinger,  secretary.  W. 
Haupt  received  license.  J.  A.  Grimm,  W.  Haupt,  J.  Vought 
and  Joseph  Dick  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Ordained 
elders — L.  Ross  and  H.  Rhoads.  Deacons — E.  B.  Arthur, 
J.  Arkless,  J.  L.  Bowman,  G.  Nicholas,  J.  Liebendorfer  and 

G.  Phillips. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  S.  B.  Kring,  presiding  elder;  Erie,  G. 
W.  Cupp ;  Allegheny,  G.  S.  Doraer ;  Somerset,  D.  S.  Poling. 

1868.  Ohio  Conference,  Zion  Church,  Fairfield  county,  O., 
May  7.  Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  G.  F.  Spreng,  secretary. 
W.  Bernhart  (local)  died.  W.  H.  Ingel,  W.  Schneider,  J. 
Wonder,  G.  Hinkel,  P.  Foltz,  J.  Saeger,  C.  Stucky,  H.  Darr, 

I.  N.  Richert  and  J.  S.  Hancks  were  granted  license.  Ordained 
elder — J.  Strohm.    Deacons — C.  F.  Negele,  E.  E.  Turner  and 

H.  Sechrist.    C.  M.  Reinhold  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 
Districts :  Cleveland,  J.  Stoll,  presiding  elder ;  Sandusky,  D. 

Strohman;  Scioto,  C.  M.  Reinhold. 

1868.  New  York  Conference,  Liverpool,  N.Y.,  March  26. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  Siegrist,  secretary.  H.  Fisher 
died.   Licensed — G.  Frech,  L.GLASSERand  F.  Hehr.  Ordained 


CONFEBSNCE  RECORDS. 


deacons — A.  Unholtz  and  M.  Yauch.  M.  Pfitzinger  was 
elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Albany,  M.  Pfitzinger,  presiding  elder;  Buffalo, 
D.  Fisher. 

1868.  Canada  Conference,  Blenheim, Can.,  April  a.  Bishop 
J.  Long,  president;  P.  Alles,  secretary.  Licensed — C.  Braun, 
S.  N.  Mover  and  C.  Pfeffer.  S.  Bean,  of  the  Wesleyan  Church, 
was  received.  Ordained  elders — P.  Winkler,  L.  Rothermel 
and  W.  ScHWANDT.  Deacons- — G.  Bernhart,  M.  Maurer  and 
J.  Anthes. 

Districts:  Waterloo,  Joseph  Umbach,  presiding  elder ;  Ham- 
ilton, W.  Schmidt. 

1868.  Illinois  Conference,  Davis,  111.,  April  2.  Bishop  J. 
J.  Esher,  president ;  M.  Stamm,  secretary.  G.  Langenstein, 
W.  Lingelbach,  E.  Schmucker,  J.  F.  Worick  and  J.  Schlittler 
were  received  on  trial.  Ordained  elders — L.  Willman,  L.  Kel- 
ler, J.  Knechel  and  F.  E.  Stuewig.  Deacons — M.  Ellert 
and  J.  P.  WiNGERT. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  J.  Schafele,  presiding  elder;  Naperville, 
J.  Schneider ;  Freeport,  D.  B.  Byers ;  Mendota,  C.  Augenstein ; 
Peoria,  S.  Dickover. 

1868.  Iowa  Conference,  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa,  April  9.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  Nuhn,  secretary.  Located — B. Baker, 
W.  KoLB,  D.  N.  Long  and  Levi  Eberhart.  Received  on  trial — 
W.  Klinefelter,  L.  Scheurer,  J.  Knoche  and  G.Youngblood. 
J.  J.  Richardson,  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  was  received.  Ordained 
elder — C.  Esher.  Deacons — E.  H.  Egge,  F.  Beltzer  and 
L.  Schobert.  H.  Lageschulte  was  re-elected  and  J.  Buzzard 
and  H.  J.  Bowman  were  newly  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Dubuque,  J.  Buzzard,  presiding  elder;  Cedar  Rap- 
ids, H.  Lageschulte ;  Des  Moines,  H.  J.  Bowman. 

1868.  Minnesota  Conference,  Castle  Rock,  Minn.,  April 
24,  to  hold  its  first  annual  session.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  presi- 
dent; H.  E.  Linse,  secretary.  Licensed — J.  Huelscher  and 
J.  Frehmel.  Ordained  deacons — A.  Knebel,  G.  Simon,  J. 
Kiehnholtz  and  C.  Werner.  Israel  Kuter  was  elected  pre- 
siding elder.  The  presiding  elder  of  St.  Paul  District  was  directed 
to  visit  the  northern  part  of  the  State  during  the  year,  with  a  view 
of  establishing  the  work. 

Districts ;  Winona,  J.  Kuter,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Paul,  W. 
Stegner. 


366  EVANQELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1868*  Wisconsin  Conference,  Jefferson,  Wis.,  April  id. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  H.  Huelster,  secretary.  A. 
Kammerer,  F.  Diete,  J.  F.  Eickert,  R.  Raukel,  D.  Herb,  S. 
KoRTENMEiER,  J.  C.  Brendel,  J.  Rabus,  F.  Trapp  and  A.  Tar- 
nutzer  were  received.  Ordained  elders — W.  Huelster,  W. 
Pfefferkorn,  J.  Karcher  and  George  Harm.  Deacons — C. 
Miller,  J.  Thieke  and  E.  Hack.  C.  A.  Schnake  was  elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee, C.  A.  Schnake,  presiding  elder;  Mad- 
ison, H.  Schelp;  Fon  du  Lac,  L.  Buehler;  Mississippi,  G.Fritsche. 

1868.  Michigan  Conference,  Flowerfield,  Mich.,  April  9. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president;  J.  Meck,  secretary.  Licensed — G. 
Haller,  E.  VVeisbrodt,  T.  Davis  and  J.  Rhoads.  Ordained 
elders — J.  M.  Fuchs  and  R.  Spatz.  Deacon — S.  Copley.  A. 
NicoLAi  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Detroit,  A.  Nicolai,  presiding  elder;  St.  Joseph,. 
M.  J.  Miller. 

1868.  Kansas  Conference,  school  house.  Nickel's  Grove, 
Kan.,  March  26.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.  Berner, 
secretary.  C.  Comstock  was  licensed.  J.  F.  Schreiber,  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  Conference  District. 

1868.  Indiana  Conference,  South  Bend,  Ind. ,  Sept.  10. 
Bishop  J.  Long,  president ;  M.  Klaiber,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  Wales,  C.  Harte,  A.  Scheitler,  A.  Trover  and  Enos  Trover. 
Ordained  elders — C.  F.  Matheis,  E.  Shamo,  J.  Berger  and  S. 
Kiplinger.    Deacons — F.  Launer,  J.  Miller,  J.  Mayer  and 

E.  CONDO. 

Districts  :  Wabash,  G.G.  Platz,  presiding  elder ;  White  River, 
M.  Meyer;  Elkhart,  M.  Krueger. 

1869.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Salem  Church,  Philadelphia,. 
Pa.,  Feb.  24.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  Jesse  Yeakel, 
secretary.  J.  Frey  located.  A.  Saylor,  I.  Deppen  and  L.  Ruhl 
died.  Licensed — M.  Canzler,  N.  Heil,  N.  Kaufman,  A.  Weaver, 
A.  Light,  F.  B.  Luttman,  W.  W.  Hambright,  S.  L.  Wiest  and 
W.  Wagoner.  E.  Bast  and  L.  Schmidt  were  again  received. 
Ordained  elders — J.  N.  Metzgar,  J.  K.  Knerr,  L.  N.  Worman, 
J.  C.  Hornberger,  G.  Scharf  and  L.  H.  Gehman.  Deacons — 
S.  K.  Seyfrit,  L  E.  Zimmerman,  D.  B.  Albright,  H.  E.Oehrle, 
W.  A.  Leopold  and  F.  Sechrist. 

Districts:   Philadelphia,  S.  Neitz,  presiding  elder;  Easton,. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


367 


F.  Hoffman;  Allentown,  J.  Yeakel ;  Reading,  J.  M.  Saylor; 
Pottsville,  J.  P.  Leib. 

1869.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  4. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.Young,  secretary.  Located — 
W.  P.  Thomas  and  P.  Graham.  Granted  credentials — H.  R. 
Price,  J.  Herm  and  F.  Methfessel.  H.  B.  Hartzler  was 
received.  Licensed — P.  F.  Coup,  W.  H.  Stover,  M.  Walton, 
P.  S.  Orwig,  I.  S.  Frain,  p.  Raidabaugh,  H.  Conrad,  J.  M. 
King,  H.  Schriber,  S.  Stavman,  W.  M.  Croman,  W.  Row,  J. 
W.  Graham  and  J.  Dum.  Ordained  as  elder — D.  A.  Kepner. 
Deacons — U.  F.  Swengel,  J.  M.  Price,  A.  W.  Kramer,  W.  P. 
Thomas  and  J.  M.  Ettinger. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  J.  Young,  presiding  elder;  Centre,  M. 
J.  Carothers;  Susquehanna,  E.  Kohr. 

1869.  Pittsburg  Conference,  near  Orangeville,  Pa.,  March 
17.  S.  B.  Kring,  president;  J.  D.  Hollinger,  secretary.  J.  S. 
Skip,  J.  Woodhull,  A.  J.  Myers,  D.  Baumgardner,  J.  Esch, 

G.  Felix,  C.  Helsel,  J.  T.  Bowls,  B.  F.  Feit,  C.  Dehaven  and 
A.  W.  Teats  were  licensed  on  trial.  Ordained  elders — L.  M. 
BovER,  P.  W.  Platts  and  S.  Werner.  Deacons — G.W.  Brown, 
J.  VoGEL,  J.  A.  Grimm,  J.  A.  Dunlap  and  W.  Moody.  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed  to  write  a  letter  of  condolence  to  Bishop 
Long,  who  was  ill  and  could  not  preside  at  the  session. 

Districts :  Pittsburg,  S.  B.  Kring,  presiding  elder ;  Erie,  G. 
W.  Cupp;  Allegheny,  G.  S.  Domer;  Somerset,  D.  S.  Poling. 

1869.  NewYork  Conference, Warsaw,  N.  Y. ,  April  i .  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  Siegrist,  secretary.  Jacob  Dereich 
died  (born  in  Germany  in  1805,  licensed  in  1841.  An  original 
member  of  the  conference  and  traveled  many  years).  J.  G.  Sie- 
grist was  licensed.  Ordained  elder — A.  Luscher.  Deacons — P. 
Glantz  and  E.  Weier.    L.  Jacoby  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Albany,  L.  Jacoby,  presiding  elder;  Buffalo,  M. 
Pfitzinger. 

1869.  Canada  Conference,  Waterloo,  Can. ,  April  1 5 .  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  Lingelbach,  H.  Dierlam,  J.  Walter  and  F.  F.  Meyer.  Or- 
dained elder — G.  Brown.  Deacon — J.  Matzolf.  C.  F.  Boller 
entered  the  New  York  Conference. 

Districts  :  Waterloo,  Joseph  Umbach,  presiding  elder ;  Ham- 
ilton, W.  Schmidt. 


3©8  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1869.  Kansas  Conference, Oregon,  Mo.,  March  i8.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — E. 
Troyer  and  C.  Emmel.  Ordained  elders — J.  Wurth,  H.  Haas 
and  C.  Zimmer.  Deacons — J.  Beck,  H.  Mattill  and  W.  Fol- 
get.  C.  Berner  and  J.  G.  Pfeuffer  were  elected  to  the  office 
of  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Kansas,  C.  Berner,  presiding  elder ;  Missouri,  J. 

G.  Pfeuffer. 

1869.  Michigan  Conference,  Bainbridge,  Mich.,  April  8. 
M.  J.  Miller,  president;  J.  M.  Haug,  secretary.  Licensed  — 
E.  K.  Dewitt.  Ordained  elder — C.  S.  Brown.  Deacons — J. 
Orth,  C.  Wiest  and  E.  Boyer.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — 
C.  Thomas,  P.  Wiest  and  E.  Boyer. 

Districts:  St.  Joseph,  M.  J.  Miller,  presiding  elder ;  Detroit, 
A.  Nicolai. 

1869.  Ohio  Conference,  Sandusky,  O.,  May  6.  Bishop  J. 
J.  EsHER,  president;  H.  Longbrake,  secretary.  Licensed — S. 
Shupp,  G.  F.  Heinrich,  H.  H.  Harrod,  D.  Curles  and  A. 
Vandersal.  Ordained  elders  —  E.  Peer,  G.  Blaser  and  D. 
Stoll.  Deacons— E.  Reif  and  J.  Plants.  E.  A.  Hoffman,  of 
the  East  Pa.  Conference,  was  received.  Jonas  Strohm  joined 
the  Iowa  Conference.    J.  Stoll  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  C.  M.  Reinhold,  presiding  elder;  San- 
dusky, D.  Strohman ;  Scioto,  J.  Stoll. 

1869.  Illinois  Conference,  Washington,  111.,  April  8.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  A.  S.  Heilman,  secretary.  J.  G.  Zinzer, 
of  the  Ohio  Conference,  was  received.  J.  G.  Miller  and  A. 
Finger  joined  the  Wisconsin  Conference.  Located — G.  W. 
Lechler,  G.  Ramige,  A.  Niebel,  C.  Kopp  and  S.  A.  Tobias. 
Licensed — W.  Neitz,  A.  Knobel,  W.  H.  Bucks,  A.  J.  Culver, 

H.  H.  Duth,  a.  Fuesele,  J.  Reif  and  A.  Bartels.  Ordained 
elders — W.  W.  Schuler  and  V.  Forkel.  Deacons — H.  Meier 
and  A.  Rohrbach.    S.  Dickover  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Chicago,  J.  Schaefele,  presiding  elder  ;  Naperville, 
J.  Schneider ;  Freeport,  D.  B.  Byers  ;  Mendota,  C.  Augenstein 
Peoria,  S.  Dickover. 

1869*  Iowa  Conference,  Belle  Plain,  Iowa,  April  2  2.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  Nuhn,  secretary.  Jacob  Zimmerman 
died.  Licensed — W.  Tallerheit,  G.  C.  Heckathorn,  Obed 
Long,  J.  Herwig,  S.  Stoll,  H.  Reisland,  F.  Zager,  S.  Fen- 
.stermacher  and  J.  Burden.    Received  on  probation — C.  C. 


GONFERENCB  RECORDS. 


369 


Pfund  and  George  Bremer.  Ordained  elders — J.  F.  Yerger, 
H.  Brauer  and  H.  Kohl.  Deacons — D.  H.  Kooker,  E.  F. 
Mell  and  L.  Sheurer.  L.  H.  Gehman  joined  the  East  Pa.  and 
H.  BuNSE  the  Minnesota  Conference. 

Districts :  Cedar  Rapids,  H.  Lageschulte,  presiding  elder ; 
Dubuque,  Joseph  Buzzard ;  Des  Moines,  H.  J.  Bowman. 

1869.  Minnesota  Conference,  East  Prairie,  Minn.,  May  14. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.  Brill,  secretary.  Licensed — 
A.  Walch.    Ordained  deacons — G.  Knebel  and  L.  Miller. 

Districts:  Winona,  Israel  Kuter,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Paul, 
W.  Stegner. 

1869.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  April  27. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  W.  Horn,  secretary.  M.  Hauert, 
J.  BANZHOFandT.  Rabus  died.  Licensed — A.  Piepenburg,  M 
Werner,  J.  Fritsche  and  H.  Umbreit.  Ordained  elders — H. 
GuELiCH,  F.  Strobel,  J.  Koch  and  T.  Umbreit.  Deacons — 
F.  Moser,  a.  Yockel,  O.  Kuterling,  J.  Kahl,  F.  J.  Scheir- 
mier,  G.  Zimmerman  and  F.  Assman.  H.  Huelster  was  elected 
to  the  office  of  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee,  C.  A.  Schnake,  presiding  elder ;  Fon  du 
Lac,  H.  Schelp  ;  Madison,  H.  Huelster;  Mississippi,  G.  Fritsche. 

1869.  Indiana  Conference,  Olney,  111.,  Sept.  9.  Bishop  J. 
J.  Esher,  president;  M.  Klaiber,  secretary.  Licensed  —  S. 
Condo,  W.  Koenig,  E.  Hochstetler,  W.  Lueder,  C.  L.  Atkin- 
son, W.  Knaubloch,  W.  Wildermuth,  Jacob  Dreisbach  and  J. 
Maurer.  Ordained  elders — A.  Hartzler,  S.  S.  Albert,  A. 
Parker,  D.  Pontius  and  C.  Ade.  Deacons — G.  Wales  and  J. 
K.  Trover.    A.  Parker  joined  the  Iowa  Conference. 

Note. — June  23  of  this  year  marks  the  demise  of  Bishop  Joseph 
Long,  the  second  bishop  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  The 
periodicals  were  draped  in  mourning,  and  a  general  gloom  over- 
spread the  entire  Church.  The  reader  is  referred  to  the  biograph- 
ical department  for  a  further  account  of  this  mighty  man  of  God. 

1870.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Catasauqua,  Pa.,  Feb.  23.  J. 
J.  Esher,  president;  J.  Yeakel,  secretary.  Licensed — S.  F. 
Dundore,  J.  M.  Soliday,  A.  Straub,  E.  Gaumer,  I.  W.  Yeakel, 
J.  A.  Feger,  D.  S.  Stauffer,  M,  Trumbore  and  M.  N.  Bern- 
hart.  Ordained  elders — H.  A.  Neitz,  B.  J.  Smoyer,  W.  K. 
Wiend,  J.  Laros  and  J.  G.  Sands.  Deacons — A.  M.  Stirk, 
A.  Kindt,  J.  L.  Werner,  J.  Savitz  and  G.  Miller.  Located 


370 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


— J.  Shimer.  S.  Neitz  was  re-elected  and  C.  S.  Haman  was 
newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  C.  S.  Haman,  presiding  elder; 
Easton,  F.  Hoffman ;  Allentown,  J.  Yeakel ;  Reading,  J.  M. 
Saylor;  Pottsville,  S.  Neitz. 

1870.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Williamsport,  Pa.,  March  4. 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  Hartzler,  secretary.  Died  —  M. 
Walter,  P.  Graham,  P.  Wagoner  and  T.  Zulauf.  Located — 
I.  Y.  Reed.  Licensed — W.  N.  Wallace,  L.  K.  Harris,  E. 
Swengel,  a.  W.  Shenberger,  J.  A.  Irvine  and  B.  Craly. 
Ordained  elders — J.  W.  Bentz  and  S.  I.  Shortiss.  Deacons — 
H.  H.  Ream,  S.  P.  Reamer,  H.  B.  Hartzler,  S.  Yearick,  J. 
SwARTz,  C.  H.  Gramly,  G.  E.  Zehner,  J.  Manbeck,  a.  Houser 
and  J.  Shafer. 

Districts :  Baltimore,  E.  Kohr,  presiding  elder ;  Centre,  M. 
J.  Carothers  ;  Susquehanna,  J.  Young. 

1870.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  March  17. 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  Q.  A.  Weller,  secretary.  D.  Stayer 
and  A.  R.  Teats,  withdrew.  Licensed — H.  S.  Herr,  D.  B. 
Enterline,  N.  Yoder,  A.  Platt,  S.  M.  Baumgardner,  H.  S. 
Stauffer,  J.  King,  T.  Eisenhower  and  L  A.  Rohland.  Or- 
dained elder — E.  B.  Arthur.  Deacons  W.  Houpt,  J.  H.  Bates 
and  J.  Spatz.  S.  B.  Kring  and  D.  S.  Poling  were  re-elected  and 
J.  D.  Hollinger  and  J.  L.  W.  Seibert  were  newly  elected  pre- 
siding elders. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  G.  S.  Domer,  presiding  elder;  Erie,  S. 
B.  Kring;  Allegheny,  J.  D.  Hollinger;  Somerset,  J.  L.  W. 
Seibert ;  Potomac,  D.  S.  Poling. 

1870.  Ohio  Conference,  Flat  Rock,  Ohio,  May  5.  J.  J. 
Esher,  president;  H.  Longbrake,  secretary.  A.  Miller,  died. 
Licensed — J.  D.  Seip,  D.  H.  Rosenberger,  O.  Faus  J.  Lusler, 
G.  MiESSE  and  J.  Schmaus.  E.  Tramer,  A.  Ware,  C.  H. 
Lintner  and  J.  F.  Wonder  took  credential.  C.  F.  Negele 
and  E.  C.  Turner  were  voted  elder's,  and  N.  Shupp,  W.  H. 
Ingel,  p.  Foltz,  S.  Hippert,  A.  Ruble,  D.  B.  Johnson,  J.  N. 
Richards,  J.  Yauch  and  J.  H.  Hauks  were  voted  deacon's 
orders. 

Districts :  Cleveland,  J.  Frankhouser,  presiding  elder ;  San- 
dusky, J.  Stoll ;  Fremont,  C.  M.  Reinhold  ;  Scioto,  D.  Strohman. 

1870.  New  York  Conference,  March  10.  J.  J.  Eshek, 
president;  J.  Siegrist,  secretary.     Licensed  to  preach  —  H. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


an 


Bush,  K.  F.  Stuebe,  G.  Stortz  and  A.  L.  Link.  Ordained 
elders — A.  Unholtz  and  M.  Yauch.  Deacons — G.  Frech,  F. 
Heher  and  S.  Bean. 

Districts:  Albany,  L.  Jacoby,  presiding  elder;  Buffalo,  M. 
Pfitzinger. 

1870.  Canada  Conference,  Stephen,  Ont,  March  31.  J. 
J.  EsHER,  president;  P.  Alles,  secretary.  J.  Reuber  was 
licensed  to  preach.  J.  Anthes,  M.  Maurer  and  C.  Stener- 
NAGEL  were  voted  elder's,  and  S.  N.  Mover,  C.  Braun  and  J. 
Bechtel  were  granted  deacon's  orders. 

Districts  :  Hamburg,  Joseph  Umbach,  presiding  elder ;  Wat- 
erloo, W.  Schmidt;  Hamilton,  S.  Kropp. 

1870.  Wisconsin  Conference,  near  Jefferson,  Wis.,  April 
28.  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  Huelster,  secretary.  The  fol- 
lowing were  licensed — U.  Elmer,  J.  Schneller,  Chas.  Koch, 
Michael  Russ,  J.  Dietrich,  Alex.  Wagoner,  Karl  Graff  and 
W.  Kammerer.  Also  Chas.  Buehner,  of  the  M.  E.  Church, 
was  received.  Elders  ordained — J.  P.  Veil  and  C.  Miller. 
Deacons — J.  C.  Brendel,  A.  Kammerer,  D.  Herb,  S.  Kort- 
myer,  L.  Kunkel  and  F.  Dite. 

Districts :  Milwaukee,  C.  A.  Schnake,  presiding  elder ;  Mad- 
ison, H.  Huelster ;  Fond  du  Lack,  H.  Schelp ;  N.  Mississippi, 
G.  Fritsche. 

1870.  Indiana  Conference,  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  Sept.  8. 
J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  M.  Hoehn,  secretary.  Absalom  B. 
Shaeffer  and  G.  W.  Wales,  died.  Licensed — L.  Grimm,  H. 
OvERMiER,  W.  Braecklv  and  Cleophas  Baumgardner.  Re- 
ceived— H.  Price,  of  the  Central  Pa.,  and  E.  Tramer,  of  the 
Ohio  Conference.  C.  Ade,  D.  J.  Pontius,  B.  Hoffman,  E.  E. 
CoNDO  and  J.  E.  Dreisbach  took  credentials.  F.  Launer,  J. 
Miller,  J.  A.  Mayer  and  C.  Schuh,  were  granted  elder's,  and 
J.  Wales,  deacon's  orders. 

Districts :  Wabash,  G.  G.  Platz,  presiding  elder ;  Indian- 
apolis, M.  Mayer;  Elkhart,  M.  Krueger. 

1870.  Illinois  Conference,  Des  Plaines,  111.,  April  14.  J. 
J.  Esher,  president;  M.  Stamm,  secretary.  Died — N.  McLean 
and  E.  Wirth.  Located — A.  Stahle,  H.  Bucks,  E.  Mussel- 
man  and  J.  F.  Weirich.  Licensed — T.  Alberding,  G.  Lauten- 
SLAGER,  G.  Eichenlaub,  A.  ScHLENKEL  and  C.  H.  Kolb.  Or- 
dained deacons — W.  F.  Heidner,  C.  Schmucker,  C.  Burkhart 
and  J.  Hersch.    Elders — J.  P.  Wingert  and  M.  Eller.  S. 


372  EVANOELICAL  ASaOCIATION  ANNALS. 


DiCKOVER  resigned  '  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  John 
Schneider  and  C.  Augenstein  were  re-elected,  and  W.  GoES- 
SELE  newly  elected  to  the  same. 

Districts :  Chicago,  J.  Schaffle,  presiding  elder ;  Naperville, 
C.  Augenstein;  Mendota,  J.  Schneider;  Freeport,  D.  B.  Byers; 
Peoria,  W.  Goessele. 

1870.  Iowa  Conference,  Blairstown,  Iowa,  April  2  1.  J.J. 
EsHER,  president;  Jacob  Nuhn,  German,  H.  J.  Bowman,  Eng- 
lish secretary.  J.  M.  Condo,  died.  Licensed — F.  Zager,  J. 
Lehew,  J.  H.  PippERT,  M.  Knoll,  F.  Drake,  W.  Neuman, 
Otto  Rall  and  W.  Warfield.  E.  H.  Egge,  L.  Schobert,  J. 
J.  Richardson  and  H.  Kletzing  were  voted  elder's,  and  J. 
Knoche,  G.  Youngblood,  W.  Kleinfelter,  C.  W.  Anthony 
and  W.  H.  Hahn,  deacon's  orders. 

Districts:  Cedar  Rapids,  H.  Lageschulte,  presiding  elder; 
Dubuque,  Joseph  Bossert;  Des  Moines,  H.  J.  Bowman;  Ne- 
braska, E.  J.  Schultz. 

1870.  Michigan  Conference,  Freedom,  Mich.,  April  7. 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  J.  M.  Haug,  secretary.  Licensed — 
Samuel  Heininger,  E.  H.  Hess,  J.  H.  Keeler,  George  Kolb 
and  J.  Tim.  B.  F.  Wade  was  voted  deacon's  and  C.  Copley 
elder's  orders.  M.  J.  Miller  was  re-elected  and  J.  Meck  was 
newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Adrian,  A.  Nicolai,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Joseph, 
M.  J.  Miller;  Flint,  J.  Meck. 

1870.  Minnesota  Conference,  Pleasant  Grove,  Minn.,  May 
12.  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  E.  H.  Bowman,  .secretary.  L. 
Miller,  died.  Licensed — J.  Zimmerman,  J.  Manthei,  P.  Bott, 
J.  L.  Stegner  and  A.  Schmidt.  A.  Knebel,  J.  Keinholtz, 
G.  Simon  and  G.  Yohn  were  granted  elder's  orders  and  J.  Heil- 
scher  and  J.  Drehmel  deacon's. 

Districts:  Winona,  Israel  Kuter,  presiding  elder;  St.  Paul, 
W.  Stegner. 

1870.  Kansas  Conference,  Deer  Creek,  Kan.,  March  24. 
J.  G.  Pfeuffer,  president;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  F.  W. 
Voegelein,  C.  Linge,  H.  Koepsei.  and  S.  Schneider  were 
newly  received.  Deacon's  orders  were  granted  W.  Lingelbach. 
Conference  organized  itself  into  a  Sunday-School  and  Tract 
Society. 

Districts:  Kansas,  C.  Berner,  presiding  elder;  Missouri,  J. 
G.  Pfeuffer. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


373 


18'71.  East  Pa. Conference,  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Feb.  22.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  Koehl,  secretary.  S.  Dundore (local) 
died.  Licensed — E.  J.  Miller,  W.  Minsker,  M.  Steckley,  A. 
A.  Belong,  A.  Hofsomer,  J.  F.  Wolfarth,  U.  H.  Hershey, 
J.  K.  Fehr,  S.  S.  Young,  W.  W.  Weaver  and  S.  H.  Dunkel- 
berger.  A.  Markley,  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  was  received ;  R. 
MoTT,  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference,  was  also  received.  Ordained 
elders — W.  A.  Leopold,  J.  K.  Seyfrit,  L  E.  Zimmerman,  F. 
Sechrist  and  B.  D.  Albright.  Deacons — W.  A.  Shoemaker, 
S.  L.  Wiest,  J.  Kurtz,  O.  L.  Saylor,  R.  Driebelbis,  J.  Mover, 
D.  Lehman  and  J.  Painter.  J.  Yeakel  was  re-elected  and  T. 
Bowman  newly  elected  presiding  elder.  New  missions — Wilk.es- 
Barre,  Scranton,  Newmanstown,  Shamokin,  Tremont,  Hamburg, 
Hellertown,  Williams  Valley  and  Schuylkill  Haven  (English). 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  C.  S.  Haman,  presiding  elder;  Read- 
ing, J.  M.  Saylor ;  Harrisburg,  F.  Hoffman ;  Pottsville,  T.  Bow- 
man ;  AUentown,  S.  Neitz ;  Easton,  J.  Yeakel. 

1871.  Central  Pa. Conference,  York,  Pa.,  March  2.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  I.  M.  Pines,  secretary.  Licensed — A. 
Stapleton,  J.  Fenner,  H.  Hummelbach,  G.  Jackson,  H.  Gren- 
inger,  R.  C.  Bowersox,  R.  Young,  N.  Young  and  C.  Stroup. 
Ordained  elders — J.  M.  Ettinger,  U.  F.  Swengel,  A.  Kramer 
and  J.  M.  Price.  Deacons — J.  M.  King,  H.  Conrad,  P.  S. 
Orwig,  p.  W.  Raidabaugh,  W.  M.  Croman  and  W.  W.  Rhoads. 
M.  Walton  died.  E.  Kohr  resigned  the  office  of  presiding 
elder  owing  to  ill-health,  and  C.  F.  Deininger  and  S.  Smith  were 
were  elected  to  the  same.  An  appeal  from  Seneca  charge,  New 
York  State,  to  supply  their  charge  abandoned  by  the  New  York 
Conference,  was  favorably  considered.  Williamsport  District 
was  formed. 

Districts  :  Baltimore,  J.  Young,  presiding  elder ;  Carlisle,  C. 
F.  Deininger;  Lewisburg,  M.  J.Carothers;  Williamsport,  S.Smith. 

1871.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Erie,  Pa.,  March  15.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  D.  Hollinger,  secretary.  J.  Shimp 
died.  Licensed — W.  M.  Stanford,  L.  H.  Hetrick,W.  D.Ortz, 
F.  Bone,  S.  Milliron,  W.  Kunselman,  J.  J.  Carmany  and  G. 
W.  White.  H.  R.  Gathers,  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  was  re- 
ceived. Ordained  elders — J.  A.  Grimm,  G.  W.  Brown  and  J. 
A.  Dunlap.  Deacons — B.  F.  Feitt,  A.  J.  Myers,  J.  Woodhull 
and  Y.  EscH. 


374  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts  :  Pittsburg,  G.  S.  Domer,  presiding  elder ;  Erie,  S. 
B.  Kring;  Allegheny,  J.  D.  Hollinger;  Somerset,  J.  L.W.  Seibert. 

1871.  New  York  Conference,  Lyons,  N.Y.,  March  9.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president.  S.  Sechrist,  secretary.  C.  L.  Witt  was 
licensed.  Ordained  elder — P.  Glantz  and  E.Wier.  Deacon — 
G.  Sechrist.  M.Lauer  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Received  into 
the  itinerancy — J.  Schaf,  C.  L.Witt,  J.  REUBERand  A.  Schlenk. 

Districts :  Albany,  L.  Jacoby,  presiding  elder ;  Rochester, 
M.  Pfitzinger;  Buffalo,  M.  Lauer. 

1871.  Canada  Conference,  Berlin, Can.,  March  30.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  S.  Morely 
located.  F.  Brekow  was  licensed.  C.  Pfeffer  and  F.  Brekow 
were  received  into  conference.  Ordained  deacons  — G.  M.  Groff, 
F.  F.  Meyer  and  J.  Lingelbach.  J.  McCauly,  of  the  Menno- 
nite  Church,  was  received  as  an  elder. 

Districts :  Hamburg,  J.  Umbach,  presiding  elder ;  Waterloo, 
W.  Schmidt ;  Hamilton,  S.  Krupp. 

1871.  Ohio  Conference,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  May  4.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  H.  Longbrake,  secretary.  A.  Decker 
and  C.  Aubel,  died.  Licensed — S.  Frey,  D.  Ellenberger,  W. 
Kitchen,  J.  U.  Loy,  A.  W.  Orwig,  C.  B.  Pershing  and  L.  W. 
Henky.  Ordained  elders — S.  E.  Rife  and  J.  Plantz.  Dea- 
cons— A.  Vandersall,  G.  Heinrich,  B.  Berry  and  J.  Zeller. 
A.  Lochner  again  joined  the  conference.  S.  Hoy  and  J.  W. 
Walkey  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  J.  Stull,  presiding  elder;  Sandusky,  C. 
M.  Reinhold  ;  Freemont,  J.  W.  Walkey;  Columbus,  S.  Hoy. 

1871.  Illinois  Conference,  Chicago,  111.,  April  13.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president,  G.  Vetter,  secretary.  H.  Heiner 
(local),  died.  Located — D.  Kramer,  J.  F.  Schnee  and  H. 
Rothermund.  Licensed  —  G.  C.  Knoble,  S.  Hansing,  W. 
Trapp,  S.  Umbach,  C.  Stockhowe,  J.  Wellner,  H.  Lashell, 
S.  Petett,  D.  E.  Fehr,  F.  Busse,  J.  Tobias  and  M.  E.  Myers. 
Ordained  elders — A.  Rohrbach,  H.  Myers  and  E.  E.  Condo. 
Deacons — A.  Knoble,  J.  Reif,  W.  Neitz,  L.  Glasser,  A. 
Fuessele,  H.  Honstett,  H.  H.  Duth,  J.  Myers  and  J.  Erb. 
Christian  Augenstein  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder 
and  Jacob  Himmel  was  elected  to  the  same. 

Districts:  Chicago,  J.  Schafle,  presiding  elder;  Naperville, 
J.  Himmel;  Freeport,  D.  B.  Byers;  Mendota,  J.  Schneider; 
Peoria,  W.  Goessele. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


375 


1871.  Michigan  Conference,  Van  Buren,  Ind.,  April  6. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  M.  Hogue,  secretary.  -Lo- 
cated— J.  Paulin,  p.  Wiest  and  E.  Bover.  Licensed — J.  W. 
Loose,  L.  Kemmerling,  C.  Schafer,  L.  Brum,  J.  Long,  C. 
Dietrich  and  F.  Sweitzer.  Ordained  elders — E.  Weis,  J.  Orth 
and  D.  C.  Rowlan.  Deacons — W.  Reimke,  E.  H.  Hess  and 
J.  H.  Keeler. 

Districts:  Adrian,  A.  Nicolai,  presiding  elder;  Flint,  J. 
Meek;  St.  Joseph,  M.  J.  Miller. 

1871.  Iowa  Conference.  Ackley,  Iowa,  April  20.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president!  H.  Brauer,  secretary.  Located — F. 
Zager.  J.  J.  Miller,  D.  J.  Pontius,  A.  Bussard,  W.  King 
and  A.  Wagoner  were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Ordained 
elders — L.  Scheurer,  D.  H.  Kooker  and  E.  F.  Mell.  Dea- 
cons— O.  Long,  G.  Brenner,  W.  H.  Bucks,  C.  C.  Pfund,  J. 
J.  Miller  and  S.  Reep.  A.  Loehner  took  credentials  for  an- 
other conference. 

Districts :  Cedar  Rapids,  H.  Lageschulte,  presiding  elder, 
Dubuque,  J.  Bussard;  Des  Moines,  H.  J.  Bowman;  Nebraska, 
E.  J.  Schultz. 

1871.  Wisconsin  Conference,Racine, Wis.,  April  27.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  W.  Horn,  secretary.  Located — G. 
VON  Eschen.  Licensed — J.  Robinson,  W.  Kemmerer,  H. 
Clement,  F.  G.  Gehler  and  F.  Nickel.  Ordained  elders — 
A.  Yokel,  O.  Kuderling,  F.  F.  Moser,  J.  Kahl,  G.  Zimmer- 
man and  F.  Assman.  Deacons — A.  Peipenburgh,  W.  Kaun, 
M.  Werner,  A.  Finger,  H.  Assman,  P.  Jenny,  F.  Muejil,  J. 
Zimmerman  and  H.  Uphof.  G.  Fritsche  was  re-elected  and 
P.  Massueger  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Milwaukee,  C.  A.  Schnake,  presiding  elder ;  Mad- 
ison, H.  Huelster;  Fon  du  Lac,  G.  Fritsche;  Mississippi,  P. 
Massueger. 

1871.  Kansas  Conference,  Salem  Church,  thirteen  miles 
east  of  St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  March  23.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  presi- 
dent; C.  Berner,  secretary.  Located — C.  Zimmer.  Licensed 
— J.  Emmel,  F.  Harter,  J.  Gering,  W.  Luttman,  J.  Kipp- 
linger  and  J.  Shesser.  Ordained  elders — W.  Folgate,  J.  Beck 
and  H.  Mattill.  Deacons — W.  Lingelbach,  L.  Emmel  and 
E.  Trover. 

Districts :  Kansas,  C.  Berner,  presiding  elder ;  Missouri,  J. 
G.  Pfeuffer. 


376  E  VANQELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANNALS. 


1871.  Minnesota  Conference,  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  May  12. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  H.  E.  Linse,  secretary.  Israel 
KuTER  took  credentials  for  another  conference.  Licensed — W. 
Lentz,  C.  W,  Sydow  and  H.  Hensel.  Ordained  elder — G. 
Knebel.  Deacon — A.  Walsh.  W.  Stegner  was  again  and  L. 
VON  Wald  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Winona,  W.  Stegner,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Paul, 
L.  von  Wald. 

1871.  Indiana  Conference,  Louisville,  Ky.,  Sept.  7.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  Berger,  secretary.  Located — G.  G. 
Platz,  G.  Schmoll  and  S.  Albert.  L.  V.  Krim,  died.  Or- 
dained elder — J.  K.  Trover.  Deacons — J.  Maurer,  S.  S. 
CoNDo,  W.  LuEDER  and  W.  Koenig.  M.  W.  Steffey,  John 
FucHS,  M.  Meier  and  H.  L.  Fisher  were  elected  presiding 
elders. 

Districts:  Evansville,  M.  Meyer,  presiding  elder;  Indian- 
apolis, J.  Fuchs ;  Fort  Wayne,  M.  W.  Steffey ;  Elkhart,  H.  L. 
Fisher. 


CHAPTER  XV. 


Fifteenth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Naperville,  III., 
Oct.  12-27,  1871. 

1871.  General  Conference,  fifteenth  session,  Naperville, 
111.,  Oct.  12-27.  Bishops  J.  J.  Esher  and  R.  Yeakel,  presi- 
dents; J.  Yeakel,  secretary;  C.  A.  Thomas  and  S.  Smith, 
assistants. 

The  delegates  were  required  to  change  their  lodging  places 
every  Monday  noon. 

The  Committee  on  Memorials  reported  the  death  of  Bishop 
Joseph  Long  and  Father  John  Dreisbach,  P.  Wagoner,  A.  B. 
Schaefer  and  J.  D.  Hollinger,  former  members  of  General 
Conference,  since  the  last  session. 

Union  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  occupied  a 
considerable  portion  of  time.  The  delegates  present  from  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  to  open  the  way  for  an  organic 
union  with  that  body  were  Revs.  R.  Haney,  P.  Kuhl  and  W. 
Nast,  D.  D.  The  measure  failed,  however,  to  command  the 
requisite  number  of  votes  (two-thirds). 

The  agitation  regarding  the  changing  of  our  denominational 
name  was  also  closed  by  a  recommendation  to  adopt  the  name 
of    The  Evangelical  Church"  which  did  not  pass. 

The  pastoral  limit  was  increased  from  two  to  three  years. 

The  resolution  of  the  General  Conference  of  185 1,  giving  per- 
mission to  preachers  and  congregations  to  introduce  a  six  months' 
probation  system  in  the  reception  of  members  was  rescinded. 

It  was  ordered  that  the  bishops  shall  draw  any  deficit  that  may 
be  due  them  for  salary  quarterly  from  the  book  establishment. 

Biblical  Institutes,  rules  and  regulations  for  the  establish- 
ment of  Theological  Institutions  under  the  auspices  of  the  Church, 
were  establis-hed. 


378  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Resolved,  That  all  the  officers  of  the  book  establishment  shall 
be  members  of  the  Ohio  Conference. 

The  monthly  magazines,  The  Living  Epistle  and  Das  Evan- 
gelische  Magazin,yfQXQ  accepted  from  their  proprietors,  and  were 
made  denominational  publications.  The  Sunday-school  papers 
were  ordered  to  be  published  semi-monthly,  and  contain  the 
Sunday-school  lessons. 

T.  Bowman,  R,  Dubs  and  J.  Young  were  elected  as  a  dele- 
gation to  bear  the  fraternal  greeting  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion to  the  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  at  its  next  session. 

The  following  were  elected  to  the  various  offices  of  the  church: 
Bishops,  J.  J.  EsHER  and  R.  Yeakel  ;  general  book  agent,  W. 
F.  Schneider;  editor  of  Christliche Botschafier,  R.  Dubs  ;  editor 
of  Evangelical  Messenger,  J.  Hartzler  ;  editor  of  Das  Evan- 
^eliche  Magazin  and  Christliche  Kinderfreund,  W.  Horn  ;  editor 
of  The  Living  Epistle  and  Sunday-School  Messenger,  J.  Young  ; 
Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society,  W.  Yost  ; 
Treasurer  of  Missionary  Society,  W.  W.  Orwig  ;  Superintend- 
ent of  Orphan  Home,  C.  Hammer  ;  editor  of  Evangelische  Bot- 
schafter  (in  Germany),  J.  Kaechele  ;  editor  of  Evangelische 
Kinderfreund  (Germany),  J.  Fuessele. 

Delegates. — East  Pa.  Conference. — J.  M.  Saylor,  F.  Hoff- 
man, J.  P.  Leib,  C.  S.  Haman,  George  Knerr,  L.  Snyder,  S.  G. 
Rhoads,  T.  Bowman,  S.  Neitz,  C.  H.  Baker,  J.  Yeakel. 

Central  Pa.  Conference. — M.  J.  Carothers,  Jacob  Young,  C. 
F.  Deininger,  Z.  Hornberger,  S.  Sm  th,  Jacob  Hartzler,  S.  W. 
-Seibert. 

Pittsburg  Conference.—].  D.  Domer,  J.  Q.  A.  Weller,  G.  S. 
Domer,  S.  B.  Kring,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  James  Croasman. 

Illinois  Conference. — John  Schneider,  Jacob  Schaefle,  Jacob 
Himmel,  S.  Dickover,  C.  Hummel,  G.  Vetter,  J.  G.  Esher,  W. 
Goesele,  H.  Rohland,  J.  G.  Zinzer. 

Indiana  Conference. — M.W.  Steffey,  John  Fuchs,  M.  Krueger, 
E.  L.  Kiplinger,  M.  Mayer,  H.  L.  Fisher. 

Wisconsin  Conference. — C.  A.  Schnake,  H.  Huelster,  H. 
Schelp,  G.  Fritsche,  P.  Massueger,  W.  Horn. 

Canada  Conference. — W.  Schmidt,  P.  Alles,  J.  Umbach,  C, 
A.  Thomas. 

Michigan  Conference. — J.  Meek,  M.  J.  Miller,  A.  Nicolai, 
J.  M.  Haug. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


379 


Iowa  Conference. — H.  Lageschulte,  J.  Buzzard,  H.  J.  Bovf- 
tnan.  J.  C.  Schultz. 

New  York  Conference. — M.  Lehn,  M.  Lauer,  M.  Pfitzinger. 

Ohio  Conference. — W.  W.  Orwig,  G.  F.  Sprang,  L.  Scheuer- 
man,  J.  Stoll,  D.  Strohman,C.  M.  Reinhold,  J.W.Walkey,  S.  Hoy. 

Minnesota  Conference. — C.  Brill,  W.  Stegner. 

Kansas  Conference. — J.  G.  Pfeiffer,  C.  Berner. 

Germany  Conference. — J.  Kaechele.  Ex-officio  members — J. 
J.  Esher,  R.  Dubs,  W.  F.  Schneider,  W.  Yost,  R.  Yeakel. 

Note. — Several  events  of  great  importance  transpired  during 
this  year.  In  January  T.  G.  Clewell,  who,  since  April,  1857, 
had  been  the  able  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  was  sus- 
pended from  office  by  the  Board  of  Publication  on  the  charge  of 
holding  and  supporting  views  contrary  to  our  Articles  of  Faith, 
and  particularly  so,  as  they  relate  to  the  subject  of  sanctification. 
He  was  succeeded  by  R.  Yeakei,,  who  was  appointed  by  the 
Board  of  Publication.  Brother  Clewell  held  that  the  board  had 
no  authority  to  remove  him  in  the  manner  it  did,  and  appealed 
to  the  civil  courts  to  prevent  it.  For  this  and  other  alleged 
misconduct  he  was  deposed  from  the  ministry.  He  was,  how- 
ever, restored  again  at  the  session  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference 
in  March  following.  The  case  created  considerable  feeling 
throughout  the  Church.  The  East  and  Central  Pa.  Conferences, 
while  disapproving  of  Brother  Clewell's  invoking  the  arm  of 
the  law,  maintained  that  the  board  acted  without  sufficient  reason 
or  jurisdiction.  Among  the  objections  of  the  East  Pa.  Confer- 
ence to  the  proceedings  were  that  a  diversity  of  opinion  regard- 
ing the  doctrine  of  sanctification  had  always  existed  in  the 
Church,  and  Brother  Clewell's  views  being  well  known  prior 
to  his  last  election,  he  should  have  at  that  time  been  brought  to 
account ;  and  further,  that  the  articles  from  his  pen,  on  which 
the  charges  were  based,  did  not  contain  sufficient  reasons  for  his 
suspension.  At  the  following  General  Conference  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  board  in  the  case  were  nevertheless  ratified. 

In  August  the  Church  periodicals  were  draped  in  mourning 
at  the  death  of  Father  John  Dreisbach,  the  last  co-laborer  of 
Albright,  the  founder  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  The 
reader  is  referred  to  his  biography  in  this  work. 

On  October  4  occurred  the  death  of  Rev.  J.  D.  Hollinger, 
presiding  elder  of  Allegheny  District,  Pittsburg  Conference,  at 
the  age  of  thirty-two  years,  nine  months  and  twelve  days.  He 


380  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 

was  converted  in  youth  and  received  a  thorough  education  at 
Greensburg  Seminary,  entered  the  Pittsburg  Conference  as  a 
licentiate  in  1861,  was  twice  elected  delegate  to  General  Confer- 
ence and  presiding  elder  in  1870.  He  was  one  of  the  most 
brilliant  and  promising  young  men  of  the  Church,  and  his  untimely 
death  was  greatly  lamented. 

The  Church  also  sustained  the  loss  of  Father  Daniel  Kehr,^ 
son  of  Jacob  and  Mary  Kehr,  who  lived  a  few  miles  west  of  New 
Berlin,  Pa.  Their  house  was  a  preaching  place  in  Albright's 
time.  Daniel  was  converted  in  youth,  entered  the  Eastern  Con- 
ference in  1830,  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1842  and  served 
Carmel  and  Potomac  Districts  in  succession.  Brother  Kehr 
was  a  member  of  five  General  Conferences.  He  excelled  in  his 
command  of  the  Scriptures.  In  this  he  often  astonished  not  only 
the  laity,  but  his  ministerial  brethren  as  well.  He  died  near  the 
"Loop,"  Centre  county,  Pa.,  Sept.  9,  187 1,  aged  sixty-eight 
years.    Text  (his  own  selection),  Dan.  xii.  13. 

1872.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Pine  Grove,  Pa.,  Feb.  28. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  T.  Bowman,  secretary.  Licensed 
to  preach — D.  A.  Medlar,  C.  Bliem,  J.  M.  Oplinger,  J.  Wil- 
son, H.  R.  Yost,  C.  Pfeifle,  T.  Hess,  C.  Brown,  S.  Newhart 
and  W.  N.  Nicholas.  Ordained  elders — J.  L,  Werner,  J. 
Savitz,  a.  M.  Stirk  and  A.  Kindt.  Deacons — I.  W.  Yeakel, 
J.  A.  Feoer,  B.  H.  Miller,  D.  S.  Stauffer,  A.  A.  DeLong,  E. 
Miller  and  J.  K.  Fehr.  J.  M.  Savlor  was  re-elected  and  G. 
T.  Haines  was  newly  elected  presiding  elder.  The  salary  of 
preachers  was  fixed.  The  minimum  shall  be  $250  for  the  first 
two  years  and  $500  thereafter.  Samuel  Brown,  a  local  preacher, 
died  during  the  year. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  C.  S.  Haman,  presiding  elder ;  Read- 
ing, G.  T.  Haines;  Harrisburg,  J.  M.  Saylor;  Pottsville,  T. 
Bowman ;  AUentown,  S.  Neitz ;  Easton,  J.  Yeakel. 

1872.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  7. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  Z.  Hornberger,  secretary.  Li- 
censed to  preach — E.  Goodling,  H.  Berger,  L.  Dice,  S.  Herold, 
P.  Graham,  F.  C.  Pandel,  R.  W.  Runyan,  G.  W.  Currin,  L. 
Matthias,  J.  A.  Hetner,  E.  M.  Beaver,  J.  M.  Brader,  A.  W. 
Bower,  S.  Harding,  H.  Bower,  F.  M.  Baker,  A.  J,  Gramlv, 
G.  W.  GiLMORE,  J.  M.  Longsdorf  and  C.  F.  Veil.  Ordained 
elders — G.  E.  Zehner,  H.  B.  Hartzler,  S.  P.  Reamer,  S. 
Yearick,  H.  Ream  and  C.  H.  Gramlv.    Deacons — A.  W.  Shen- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


381 


BERGER,  W.  H.  Stover,  L.  K.  Harris  and  G.  L.  Burson.  Died 
— Daniel  Kehr  and  Peter  Heiss.  A.  L.  Reeser  was  newly 
and  M.  J.  Carothers  was  re-elected  presiding  elder.  The  sal- 
ary was  fixed  as  follows  :  Minimum — Unordained,  single,  $200 ; 
ordained,  single,  $300;  ordained,  married,  ^500. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  C.  F.  Deininger,  presiding  elder ;  Car- 
lisle, A.  L.  Reeser;  Lewisburg,  M.  J.  Carothers;  Williamsport, 
S.  Smith. 

1872.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Allegheny,  Pa.,  March  17. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  J.  Bernhart,  secretary. 
Licensed — W.  Stadtlander,  J.  Garner,  T.  Bach,  L.  I.  Baum- 
GARDNER  and  R.  Sneadon.  Ordained  elders — W.  Houpt  and 
J.  H.  Bates.  Deacons  —  S.  M.  Baumgardner,  J.  King,  D.  M. 
Baumgardner  and  I.  A.  Rohland.  J.  D.  Hollinger,  presiding 
elder,  died.  G.  W.  Cupp  and  H.  B.  Sommers  were  re-elected 
and  G.  S.  Domer  was  newly  elected  presiding  elder.  The  salary 
of  preachers  was  fixed  as  follows :  Minimum  (besides  house) — 
First  year,  single,  $200;  married,  ^300.  Second  year,  single, 
^300;  married,  $400.  Thereafter — single,  $400;  married,  $600. 
T.  G.  Clewell  and  C.  W.  Davis  took  credentials. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  S.  B.  Kring,  presiding  elder;  Canton, 
H.  B.  Summers;  Allegheny,  G.  W.  Cupp;  Somerset,  J.  L.  W. 
Seibert ;  Franklin,  G.  S.  Domer. 

1872.  New  York  Conference,  Buffalo,  N.Y.,  March  7.  R. 
Yeakel,  president;  J.  Sechrist,  secretary.  Licensed — C.  Roe- 
HER,  A.  Bornheimer  and  C.  Mowitz.  Ordained  elders — G. 
Frech,  S.  Bean  and  F.  Hehr.  Deacons — J.  Reuber  and  A. 
Schlenk.    M.  Pfitzinger  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Albany,  L.  Jacoby,  presiding  elder ;  Rochester, 
M.  Pfitzinger ;  Buffalo,  M.  Lauer. 

1872.  Canada  Conference,  New  Hamburg,  Ont.,  April  11. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— F.  Schwartz  and  J.  H.  Damm.  Ordained  elders  — 
C.  F.  Braun  and  N.  S.  Mover.  Deacons — H.  Dierlam  and 
C.  Pfeffer. 

Districts:  Hamburg,  J.  Umbach,  presiding  elder;  Waterloo, 
W.  Schmidt;  Hamilton,  S.  Krupp. 

1872.  Ohio  Conference,  Burbank,0.,  May  2.  R.  Yeakel, 
president;  J.  Lerch,  secretary.  John  Dreisbach  and  John 
Frueh  died.  Licensed — W.  Shisler,  H.  Spitler,  A.  Stull,  J. 
Drinkwater,G.  Ellenberger  and  V.  Brown.    Ordained  elders 


382  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


— ^J.  S.  Hanks,  N.  Shupp,  S.  Hippert  and  W.  H.  Ingle.  Dea- 
cons— J.  Dooly,  G.  Miesse  and  J.  D.  Seip.  C.  M.  Reinhold 
was  re-elected  presiding  elder.  The  salary  (minimum)  was  fixed 
as  follows :  Unmarried  and  unordained,  $200 ;  unordained  but 
married,  $2^0;  ordained  and  married,  $500.  The  conference 
entered  the  Northwestern  College  compact. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  J.  Stull,  presiding  elder;  Sandusky, C. 
M.  Reinhold ;  Fremont,  J.  W.  Walkey ;  Columbus,  S.  Hoy. 

1872.  Michigan  Conference,  Woodland,  Mich.,  April  4. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  J.  M.  Houg,  secretary.  Licensed 
— W.  D.  ScHAFER,  A.  Plocher  and  J.  Houghtby.  Ordained 
elder — B.  F.  Wade.  Deacons — T.  F.  Davis,  J.  Young  and  S. 
Heininger.  L.  Scheuerman,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  was  re- 
ceived and  elected  presiding  elder.  A  single  man's  salary  was 
fixed  at  not  less  than  $150.  If  married,  not  less  than  $200  for 
the  first  two  years,  and  after  that  not  less  than  ^500,  besides 
house  rent. 

Districts:  Adrian,  L.  Scheuerman,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Joseph, 
M.  J.  Miller;  Flint,  J.  Meek. 

1872.  Illinois  Conference,  Geneseo,  111. ,  April  4.  R.Yea- 
KEL,  president;  G.  Vetter,  secretary.  Licensed — C.  Byerer, 
E.  D.  EiNSEL,  W.  Caton  and  W.  Schmus.  W.  Honstedt  died. 
Ordained  elders — C.  Schmucker  and  C.  Burkhart.  Deacons — 
T.  Alberding,  G.  Laugenstein,  G.  Eichenlaub,  J.  Worrick 
and  G.  Himmel.  J.  Schneider,  having  been  elected  treasurer  of 
Northwestern  College,  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder. 
The  salary  (minimum)  was  fixed  as  follows  :  Unordained,  single, 
^250;  ordained,  single,  $300;  ordained,  married,  $500.  C.  W. 
Davis  and  I.  Kuter,  of  other  conferences,  were  received.  S. 
DiCKOVER  was  elected  traveling  agent  for  Northwestern  College. 
J.  J.  Kanaga  took  credentials  for  the  Ohio,  and  the  brethren 
HouPT  and  Culp  for  the  Iowa  Conference. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  G.  Vetter,  presiding  elder  ;  Naperville,  J. 
Himmel ;  Freeport,  H.  Rohland ;  Mendota,  J.  Schafele ;  Peoria, 
W.  Goessele. 

1872.  Indiana  Conference,  Elkhart,  Ind.,  Sept.  12.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  Berger,  secretary.  Licensed — J. 
Mode,  F.  Brauer,  G.  Berstecher,  J.  Hunzinger,  B.  F.  Dill, 
H.  Brechtel,  a.  Geist  and  D.  Light.  Ordained  elder — J, 
Wales.  Deacons — E.  Trover,  E.  T.  Hochstedler,  H.  E. 
Overmeyer,  M.  Byers,  S.  Plantz  and  W.  Wildermuth.    H.  L. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


383; 


Fisher  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  E.  L.  Kiplinger 
was  elected  in  his  stead.  L.  Kiplinger  was  granted  credentials. 
The  minimum  salary  of  the  preachers  was  fixed. 

Districts:  Evansville,  M.  Moyer,  presiding  elder;  Indian- 
apolis, J.  Fuchs ;  Fort  Wayne,  M.  W.  Steffey  ;  Elkhart,  E.  L. 
Kiplinger. 

1872.  Iowa  Conference,  Grandview,  Iowa,  April  1 8.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  C.  C.  Pfund  (German)  and  D.  H.  Kooker 
(English),  secretaries.  Licensed — E.  B.  Utt.  A.  Heckathorn, 
E.  E.  BoNTA,  M.  Gruener,  F.  Loehle,  P.  Desgranges,  L. 
Reib,  J.  Pflaum  and  H.  Stelrecht.  Ordained  elders — W.  J.. 
Hahn,  \V.  Kleinfelter,  F.  Beltzer,  G.  Youngblood,  W.  King,, 
J.  Knoche  and  C.  W.  Anthony.  Deacons — O.  Rall,  J.  P.  Just,. 
M.  Knoll,  W.  C.  Reinke,  J.  H.  Pippert,  and  W.  H.  Newman. 
D.  J.  Pontius  took  credentials.  J.  Bussard,  H.  J.  Bowman  and 
H.  Lageschulte  were  re-elected  to  the  office  of  presiding  elder^ 

Districts:  Cedar  Rapids,  H.  J.  Bowman,  presiding  elder;. 
Dubuque,  H.  Lageschulte ;  Des  Moines,  Joseph  Bussard ;  Ne- 
braska, J.  E.  Schultz. 

1872.  Kansas  Conference,  Nicholas  Grove,  Mo.,  March  21. 
R.  Yeakel,  president;  J.  Wurth,  secretary.  Licensed — W. 
Meier,  L.  Wenger,  W.  Heiser,  R.  P.  Condrea.  Ordained 
elder — W.  Lingelbach.  Deacons — F.  W.  Volgelein,  H.  Koep- 
SEL,  C.  Linge  and  A.  Rex.  J.  E.  Dreisbach,  of  the  Indiana 
Conference,  was  received.  S.  W.  McKesson  and  D.  Zeller 
took  credentials. 

Districts :  Kansas,  C.  Berner,  presiding  elder ;  Missouri,  J. 

G.  Pfeuffer. 

1872.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  April  27. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  F.  Huelster,  secretary.  Licensed 
— F.  Nickel,  F.  Eilert,  G.  Winkelwisch,  C.  Schneider  and. 

H.  Clements.  Ordained  elders — A.  Kammerer,  S.  Kortmeier, 
J.C.  Brendel,  L.  Runkel  and  D.  Herb.  Deacons — J.  Schnel- 
LER  and  J.  Dietrich.  W.  Kaufman  was  elected  presiding  elder. 
The  salary  (minimum)  was  fixed  as  follows  :  Unmarried  proba- 
tioners, $175;  unmarried  deacons,  $2>°°'i  married  deacons,  $300;: 
elders,  $500. 

Districts :  Milwaukee,  W.  F.  Kaufman,  presiding  elder  ;  Fon 
du  Lac,  G.  Fritsche  ;  Madison,  H.  Huelster;  Mississippi,  P. 
Massneger. 


384  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1872.  Minnesota  Conference,  near  Blue  Earth,  Minn,,  May 
2,  Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  presiding.  There  were  under  the  care  of 
the  conference  thirteen  missions,  served  by  fourteen  missionaries, 
and  three  mission  churches  were  built  during  the  past  year. 

Districts:  Winona,  W.  Stegner,  presiding  elder;  St.  Paul, 
L.  Von  Wald. 

Notes. — On  Jan.  24  Brother  W.  H.  Honstett,  a  talented 
young  minister  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  died.  He  was  born 
in  1846,  and  entered  the  active  ranks  of  the  conference  in  1867. 

Father  William  Mentz,  of  the  New  York  Conference,  born 
in  Germany  in  181 1,  entered  the  Eastern  Conference  in  1838, 
elected  presiding  elder  in  1843  and  served  several  terms,  and  who 
was  an  original  member  of  the  New  York  Conference,  died  at 
Suspension  Bridge,  N.  Y.,  Jan.  22,  1872. 

1873.  East  Pa. Conference, Tamaqua,  Pa.,  Feb.  26.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  T.  Bowman,  secretary.  Died — C. Meyers 
(itinerant)  and  C.  Wolf  (local).  R.  Mott  received  credentials. 
John  Dick  (local)  withdrew.  A.  H.  Overholt  located.  Father 
J.  P.  Leib  was  retained  in  the  itinerancy  without  appointment. 
Ordained  elders — W.  A.  Shoemaker,  S.  L.  Wiest  and  R.  Drei- 
belbis.  Deacons — J.  F.  Wohlfarth,  U.  H.  Hershev,  J.  M. 
Oplinger,  W.  Loos  and  G.  H.  Landis.  Licensed — W.  Miller, 
A.  W.  Warfel,  J.  Mover,  J.  M.  Rinker,  E.  Glaeser,  D.  Schne- 
bel,  J.  F.  Weidner,  J.  Workman,  J.  J.  High,  F.  B.  Copp,  S. 
Butterweck,  W.  B.  Romig,  W.  L.  Black,  L.  E.  Leslie,  G.  H. 
Laurev,  J.  Bowman, W.Webber,  S.C.  BREVFOGELand  E.Wilson. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  C.  S.  Haman,  presiding  elder;  Read- 
ing, G.  T.  Haines;  Harrisburg,  J.  M.  Saylor;  Pottsville,  T. 
Bowman ;  Allentown,  S.  Neitz ;  Easton,  J.  Yeakel. 

1873.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  March  6. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  L  M.  Pines,  secretary.  Located 
for  a  year — W.  H.  Davis,  H.  A.  Stoke,  W.  M.Ckoman,  E.  Swen- 
GEL  and  D.  Kepner.  Died — John  Young,  J.  F.  Manbeck  and 
Abraham  Snyder.  Ordained  elders — P.  S.Orwig,W.  W.  Rhoads, 
P.  W.  Raidabaugh,  H.  Conrad,  J.  M.  King  and  W.  M.  Croman. 
Deacons — N.Young,  R.Young,  D.  P.  Rumberger,  J.  A.  Irvine, 
J.  A.  Hetner,  J.  S.  Bear  and  B.  Winegarden.  Licensed — E. 
S.  Brownmiller,  E.  Wilcox,  H.  W.  Freed,  M.  D.  Shirk,  Abra- 
ham Sutton,  P.  F.  Jarrett,  A.  W.  Maxwell,  H.  E.  Weirick, 
J.  B.  CuRNS,  W.  F.  Reitmever,  H.  W.  Kuhns,  G.  F.  Yeager  and 


CONFERENCE  EE  CORDS. 


385 


J.  Hendricks,  and  A.  T,  Mead  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  J.  Kurtz, 
a  former  member  of  this  conference,  was  again  received. 

Districts  :  Baltimore,  C.  F.  Deininger,  presiding  elder ;  Car- 
lisle, A.  L.  Reeser;  Lewisburg,  M.  J.  Carothers;  Williamsport, 
S.  Smith. 

1873.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Salisbury,  Pa.,  March  13. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  L.  M.  Boyer.  secretary.  H.  W. 
Hampe,  J.  HoNECKER,  J.  Crousman  and  S.  Werner  took  cre- 
dentials. G.  W.  Cupp  and  J.  Weikel  became  supernumeraries. 
Licensed  to  preach — Joseph  Porch,  H.  Hurd,  F.  P.  Saylor, 
A.  M.  BowLiN  and  G.  W.  Dunlap.  Ordained  elders — J.  Wood- 
hull,  A.  J.  Meyers,  B.  F.  Feitt  and  J.  Esh.  Deacons — J.  S. 
Seip,  N.  Yoder,  F.  Bone,  T.  Eisenhour,  A.  W.  Platt,  L.  H. 
Hetrick  and  J.  Bower.  Received  into  the  itinerancy — J.  J. 
Carmany,  F.  Bone,  T.  Eisenhour,  J.  Porch,  L.  I.  Baumgard- 
ner,  D.  K.  Lavan,  R.  Mott  and  G.W.  Fisher.  J.  J.  Bernhart 
was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  S.  B.  Kring,  presiding  elder;  Canton, 
H.  B.  Summers;  Franklin,  G.  S.  Domer;  Allegheny,  J.  J.  Bern- 
hart  ;  Somerset,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert. 

1873.  New  York  Conference,  Albany,  N.  Y.,  March  6. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  Siegrist,  secretary.  Licensed 
— J.  BuRKHARD,  H.  Horn  and  G.  H.  Gelser.  Ordained  elder — 
J.  G.  Siegrist.  Deacon — C.  F.  Stube.  J.  Holzworth  was 
elected  presiding  elder.  Granted  credentials — C.  O.  Roehr,  N. 
Geltzleichter,  p.  E.  Glanz  and  G.  Eckhard. 

Districts:  Albany,  M.  Pfitzinger,  presiding  elder;  Rochester, 
A.  Holzwarth  ;  Buffalo,  M.  Lauer. 

1873.  Canada  Conference,  South  Cayuga,  Ont.,  April  18. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  J.  G. 
Staebler  and  S.  Morely  located.  Ordained  elders — F.  F. 
Meyer,  J.  Lingelbach  and  G.  M.  Graeff.  Licensed — G.  Fink- 
binder,  Joseph  Thede  and  G.  H.  Schmidt.  S.  Kropp,  presid- 
ing elder,  resigned  and  P.  Alles  was  elected  in  his  stead.  The 
conference  united  in  the  interests  of  Northwestern  College. 

Districts:  Hamburgh,  J.Umbach,  presiding  elder ;  Waterloo, 
W.  Schmidt;  Hamilton,  P.  Alles. 

1873.  Ohio  Conference,  Lindsey,0.,  May  i.  W.W.Orwig, 
president;  J.  Lerch,  secretary.  Licensed — Theo.  Suhr,  E. 
Britton,  E.  Wingard,  Benjamin  Oyler,  G.  F.  Everhart  and 
J.  Ball.    Ordained  elders — E.  A.  Hoffman,  G.  Heinrich  and 


386  E  VANGELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANNALS. 


A.  Vandersall.  Deacons — A.  W.  Orwig,  D.  H.  Rosenberg, 
J.  Sager  and  C.  Stuckey.  J.  Smouse  took  credentials.  Hiram 
SiCHLEY  died. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  J.  Stoll,  presiding  elder ;  Sandusky, C. 
M.  Reinhold;  Fremont,  J.  W.  Walkey;  Columbus,  S.  Hoy. 

1873.  Illinois  Conference,  Forreston,  111.,  April  3.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  M.  Stamm,  secretary.  C.  F.  Steuwig 
and  W.  Strausberger  located.  Licensed — G.  FuHS,  F.  Lue- 
DiCKE,  C.  Shuster,  a.  Strickfaden,  p.  Zahn  andT.  L.  Haines. 
Ordained  elders — A.  Fuessele,  W.  Neitz,  L.  Glaesser,  J.  B. 
Rife,  A.  Knoele  and  C.  Smucker.  Deacons — F.  Hansing,  J. 
Wellner,  F.  Busse,  D.  Fehr,  H.  F.  Lashell,  J.  Cable  and 
H.  H.  Duth.  George  Mattinger,  formerly  an  itinerant  in  the 
Ohio  Conference,  died. 

Districts:  Chicago,  George  Vetter,  presiding  elder ;  Naper- 
ville,  J.  Himmel ;  Freeport,  H.  Rohland ;  Mendota,  J.  Shaeffele ; 
Peoria,  W.  Goessele. 

1873.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Lomira,  Wis.,  April  24. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— E.  Rhode,  G.  Kern,  A.  Haas,  C.  Gruen  and  C.Oertli. 
Ordained  elders — M.  C.  Werner,  W.  Kaun,  F.  Diete,  H.  Uphoff 
and  A.  Pipenburg.  Deacons — F.  Nickel  and  J.  U.  Elmer, 
H.  Guelich  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Madison,  H.  Guelich,  presiding  elder ;  Milwaukee, 
F.  Kauffman;  FonduLac.G.  Fritche  ;  Mississippi,  P.  Massueger. 

1873.  Minnesota  Conference,  Painsville,  Minn.  Bishop  J. 
J.  Esher,  president;  H.  E.  Linse,  secretary.  Ordained  elder — 
A.  Walch.    Deacons — C.  W.  Svdow  and  H.  Hensel. 

Districts:  Winona,  W.  Stcgncr,  presiding  elder;  St.  Paul, 
L.  Von  Wald. 

1873.  Indiana  Conference,  East  Germantown,  Ind.,  Sept. 
II.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  Berger,  secretary.  W. 
Luether,  C.  Heim  and  H.  R.  Price  located.  G.  A.  Hertel 
died.  Licensed — John  Stover,  S.  Shoop,  J.  N.  Loop,  W.  H. 
Jones  and  E.  Bolander.  P.  Burgner  was  reinstated  as  an  elder. 
Ordained  elders — W.  Koenig,  J.  Maurer  and  S.  S.  Condo. 
Deacons — J.  Bockman,  H.  Schleicher,  C.  Stockhow,  J.  C. 
Young,  G.  W.  Brackley  and  H.  W.  Funk.  J.  Berger  accepted 
work  in  Germany.  C.  F.  Hansig,  of  the  Illinois,  J.  Beck,  of 
the  Kansas,  and  M.  Speck,  of  the  Michigan  Conference,  were 
received. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


387 


Districts :  Evansville,  M.  Meyer,  presiding  elder ;  Indianap- 
olis, J.  Fuchs  ;  Fort  Wayne,  M.  Steffey  ;  Elkhart,  E.  L.  Kiplinger. 

1873.  Iowa  Conference,  La  Porte,  Iowa.  Bishop  J.  J. 
EsHER,  president;  D.  H.  Kooker,  secretary.  Licensed — S.  H. 
WiTTE,  G.  KoEHN,  T.  R.  Matter,  F.  Schultzky  and  A.  T.  Wil- 
KiNS.  Ordained  elders — C.  W.  Anthony,  C.  C.  Pfund,  W.  H. 
Bucks,  G.  Breuner,  J.  McCauley  and  O.  Long.  Deacons  — 
A.  Bussard  and  A.Wagoner.  H.  Lageshulte,  presiding  elder, 
resigned  and  J.  Henn  was  elected  in  his  place. 

Districts:  Cedar  Rapids,  H.  J.  Bowman,  presiding  elder; 
Dubuque,  J.  Henn;  Des  Moines,  Joseph  Bussard;  Nebraska, 
E.  J.  Schultz. 

1873.  Michigan  Conference,  Delta,  O.,  March  27.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  M.  HouG,  secretary.  Licensed — J. 
Miller,  A.  Rupel,  W.  Berge  and  P.  Berg.  Granted  creden- 
tials— J.  Long,  C.  Thomas  and  M.  Speck.  Ordained  elders — 
J.  H.  Keeler,  J.  H.  Hess  and  W.  Reimke.  Deacons — J.  Long, 
J.  W.  Loose,  L.  Kemmerling,  F.  Dietrich,  L.  Brumm  and  F. 
Schweitzer.  C.  Roehm  located.  M.  J.  Miller,  presiding 
elder,  resigned  and  S.  Copley  was  elected  in  his  place.  "Re- 
solved, that  we  as  a  conference  unite  with  Northwestern  College 
and  Biblical  Institute." 

Districts:  Adrian,  L.Scheuerman,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Joseph, 
S.  Copley;  Flint,  J.  Meek. 

1873.  Kansas  Conference,  Holton,  Kan.,  March  20.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  Wuerth,  secretary.  Licensed — H. 
Toedman  and  J.  McQuilling.  Ordained  elders — C.  Emmel 
and  E.  J.  Troyer.  Deacons — J.  C.  Emmel,  W.  Meier  and  F. 
Harder.  J.  G.  Pfeiffer  was  re-elected  and  J.  Wuerth  newly 
elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Kansas,  J.  G.  Pfeiffer,  presiding  elder;  Missouri, 
J.  Wuerth. 

Notes. — At  the  beginning  of  the  year  was  published  the  Ever- 
green, the  first  Sunday-school  music  book,  by  Rev.  E.  A.  Hoff- 
man. It  was  received  with  great  favor.  The  Church  Record 
also  made  its  appearance  in  the  Spring. 

The  total  number  of  missions  supported  by  the  Church  was 
248,  an  increase  of  twenty-eight  over  the  previous  year.  Twenty- 
five  churches  were  erected  on  the  mission  fields  during  the  year. 

This  year  marks  the  loss  to  the  Church  of  a  number  of  her 
most  prominent  men  by  the  hand  of  death,  as  follows :  Alex. 


388  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


LoNGSDORF,  bom  iu  Dauphin  county,  Pa.,  in  1812,  entered  the 
Eastern  Conference  in  1838,  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1844, 
re-elected  in  1848  and  185  2,  and  died  at  Loganton,  Clinton  county. 
Pa.,  in  1876.  Brother  Longsdorf  spent  thirty-three  years  in 
the  active  work.  He  was  an  excellent  preacher  in  both  the  Eng- 
lish and  German  languages. 

C.  A.  ScHNAKE,  born  in  Germany  in  18 19,  and  entered  the 
Illinois  Conference  in  1849.  He  was  an  original  member  of  the 
Wisconsin  Conference,  in  which  he  served  three  years  as  presiding 
elder.  He  died  at  Jefferson,  Wis.,  in  1876.  Brother  Schnake 
was  a  highly  gifted  man  and  a  tireless  worker,  and  his  services 
in  establishing  the  Evangelical  Association  in  the  West  were  very 
valuable. 

George  Hertel,  born  in  Germany  in  182 1,  and  was  for  many 
years  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the  Indiana  Conference. 
He  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1864.  He  died  at  Elkhart, 
Ind.,  July  12,  1873. 

Christian  Myers,  born  in  Switzerland  in  1814,  entered  the 
East  Pa.  Conference  in  1839,  and  was  for  many  years  one  of  the 
principal  members.  He  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1856,  and 
served  one  term.    He  died  at  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  Feb.  22,  1873. 

1874.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Salem  Church,  AUentown,  Pa., 
Feb.  26.  Bishop  R.Yeakel,  president;  T.  Bowman,  secretary. 
Licensed — I.  J.  Reitz,  J.  Hollenbach,  H.  Shultz  and  Aug. 
DiLABAR.  Ordained  elders — B.  H.  Miller,  D.  S.  Staukfer,  J. 
A.  Eager,  A.  A.  DeLong,  I.  W.  Yeakel,  J.  K.  Fehr,  E.  J.  Mil- 
ler and  O.  L.  Savlor.  Deacons — J.  S.  Newhart,  J.  Bowman, 
D.  A.  Medlar,  A.  Markley,  H.  R.  Yost  and  E.  J.  Glasser. 
Died — E.  Ebv  (itinerant)  and  D.  Thomas,  E.  Snyder  and  D. 
Light  (locals).  G.  T.  Haines  resigned  the  office  of  presiding 
elder,  and  C.  S.  Haman  was  re-elected  and  S.  G.  Rhoads  and 
C.  K.  Fehr  were  newly  elected  to  the  office.  Missions  were 
established  in  Southwestern  Reading,  Scranton,Lehighton,  North- 
ern AUentown,  Bangor,  and  English  missions  in  Harrisburg  and 
Mauch  Chunk.  The  following  were  constituted  stations:  Tre- 
mont,  Ashland,  Hazleton,  Orwigsburg  and  Slatington. 

A  committee  of  seven  was  appointed  to  take  active  steps  in 
the  location  of  an  institution  of  learning,  and  Thomas  Bowman 
was  appointed  as  collector  to  secure  funds  for  its  establishment. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  S.G.  Rhoads,  presiding  elder;  Read- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


889 


ing,  C.  S.  Haman;  Harrisburg,  C.  K.  Fehr;  Pottsville, T.Bowman: 
Allentown,  J.  M.  Saylor;  Easton,  J.  Yeakel. 

1874.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  March  5. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president;  I.  M.  Pines,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  F.  Thomas,  G.  Gohn,  J.  R.  Smith,  J.  E.  Courter,  B.  Garri- 
son, W.  E.  Shoemaker,  D.  P.  Kline,  D.  G.  Peters,  A.  F. 
Terwilliger.  Ordained  elders — G.  L.  Burson,  A.  W.  Shen- 
berger,  R.  J.  Derrick  and  L.  K.  Harris.  Deacons — J.  Dum, 
P.  Graham,  P.  Coup,  N.  T.  Meads,  L.  Matthias,  J.  M.  Brader, 
A.  W.  Bower,  E.  Kleinfelter,  H.  N.  Grenninger,  R.  W. 
Runyan,  J.  M.  Longsdorf,  E.  Swengel,  G.  W.  Currin,  F.  M. 
Baker  and  G.  F.  Yeager.    C.  H.  Gramley  took  credentials. 

Districts:  Baltimore,  C.  F.  Deininger,  presiding  elder;  Car- 
lisle, A.  L.  Reeser ;  Lewisburg,  M.  J.  Carothers ;  Williamsport, 
S.  Smith. 

1874.  Pittsburg  Conference,  North  Lima,  O.,  March  12. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president;  L.M.  Boyer,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  A.  Burkett,  a.  S.  Baumgardner,  W.  A.  Reininger,  D.  Mor- 
rison, J.  YuNDT,  J.  Vandyke,  N.  George,  S.  A.  Milliron,  F. 
Strayer  andW.  Diser.  Ordained  elders — D.  M.  Baumgard- 
ner, S.  M.  Baumgardner  and  J.  King.  Deacons — J.  Kern, 
T.  J.  Baumgardner,  T.  Bach,  J.  Garner,  W.  M.  Stanford  and 

A.  W.  Teats.  Because  of  declining  health,  H.  B.  Summers 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  S.  B.  Kring  was  re-elected 
and  J.  A.  Grimm  and  A.  Niebel  were  newly  elected  to  the  same. 
Granted  credentials — A.  J.  Myers,  J.  Arkless  and  D.W.  Ortz. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  A.  Niebel,  presiding  elder;  Canton,  S. 

B.  Kring;  Franklin,  G.  S.  Domer;  Allegheny,  J.  J.  Bernhart; 
Somerset,  J.  A.  Grimm. 

1874.  New  York  Conference,  Syracuse,  N.  Y,,  March  26. 
Bishop  R. Yeakel,  president;  A. Unholtz,  secretary.  Licensed — 
H.  Newinger  and  J.  Vossler.    Ordained  elders — J.  Reuber, 

C.  L.Witt  and  A.  ScHLENK.  Deacon — J.  H.  Damm.  Located — 
L.  Jacoby. 

Districts:  Albany,  M.  Pfitzinger,  presiding  elder ;  Rochester, 
A.  Holzwarth;  Buffalo,  M.  Lauer. 

1874.  Canada  Conference,  Carrick,Ont.,  April  23.  Bishop 
R.  Yeakel,  president ;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  Ordained 
elders — C.  Pfeffer  and  H.  Dierlam.  Deacon — S.  L.Umbach. 
G.  Bernhart,  located.  W.  Lingelbach,  of  the  Kansas  Confer- 
ence, was  received.    J.  G.  Staebler,  John  Lingelbach  and 


I 


390  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 

Jacob  Anthes  died.   J.  Umbach  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Hamilton,  P.  Alles,  presiding  elder;  Hamburg, 
W.  Schmidt;  Waterloo,  J.  Umbach. 

1874.  Ohio  Conference,  Circleville,  O.,  May  7.  Bishop 
R.  Yeakel,  president;  H.  Longbrake,  secretary.  F.  Zeller 
took  credentials.  J.  J.  Kanaga,  A.  Rex,  D.  J.  Pontius,  A.  Shaub 
and  C.  Gahn  were  received  with  the  same.  Licensed — J.  E. 
Stewart,  F.  Stecher,  J.  Isch,  S.  Gammertsfelder,  R.  Smith, 
D.  C.  Eckerman,  S.  Cocklin  and  F.  Swartz.  Ordained  elders — 
J.  D.  Seip  and  G.  W.  Miesse.  Deacons — L.  W.  Hankey,  G. 
Ellenberger,  H.  Spitler,  a.  C.  Stoll,  D.  Sherrick  and  W. 
Snyder.    Elias  Sichley  died. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  J.  Stoll,  presiding  elder;  Sandusky,  C. 
M.  Reinhold;  Fremont,  J.  W.  Walkey;  Columbus,  S.  Hoy. 

1874.  Michigan  Conference,  Flint,  Mich.,  April  2.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  S.  Henne,  secretary.  N.  T.  DAVisdied. 
O.  Ragatz  located.  Ordained  elders  —  S.  Heininger  and  J. 
Young.  Deacons — F.  Miller,  E.  K.  Dewitt,  J.  Schmus,  G. 
Haller,  W.  Berge,  G.  Kutler  and  J.  Miller.  S.  Copley 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  on  account  of  ill-health,  and 
J.  M.  Houg  was  newly  elected  and  J.  Meck  re-elected  to  the  office. 

Districts :  Detroit,  J.  Meck,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Joseph,  L. 
Scheuerman ;  Saginaw,  J.  M.  Houg. 

1874.  Illinois  Conference,  Kankakee,  111.,  April  9.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  M.  Stamm  (German)  and  D.  B.  Byers 
(English),  secretaries.  Ordained  elders — Prof.  A.  A.  Smith, 
Prof.  W.  F.  Heidner,  G.  Eichenlaub  and  T.  Alberding.  Dea- 
con— W.  Schmus.  Licensed — J.  Fry,  A.  Riemensnyder,  C. 
Koch,  J.  W.  Ferner,  C.  Riegel,  H.  Eller  and  D.  W.  Fink. 
J.  Schaad,  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  was  received.  F.  C.  Stuebig 
withdrew.  N.  Leonard  and  W.  Grissinger  (locals)  died.  J. 
Himmel  resigneid  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  W.  Goessele 
and  H.  Hintze  were  elected  to  the  same.  S.  Swartz,  J.  Den- 
gel,  E.  E.  CoNDO  and  J.  J.  Kanaga  took  credentials  for  other 
conferences. 

Districts:  Chicago,  G.  Vetter,  presiding  elder;  Naperville, 
W.  Goessele ;  Freeport,  H.  Rohland ;  Mendota,  J.  Schaffle ; 
Peoria,  H.  Hintze. 

1874.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Menomonee  Falls,  Wis.,  April 
30.    Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  C.  A.  Schnake,  secretary. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


391 


Newly  received — F.  Homuth  and  C.  Heineck.  Ordained  elders 
— J.  Deitrich,  a.  Piepenburg  and  J.  Schneller.  Deacons — 
C.  Schneider  and  F.  Eilert. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  F.W.  Kaufman,  presiding  elder;  Mad- 
ison, H.  Guelich ;  Fon  du  Lac,  G.  Fritsche ;  Mississippi,  P. 
Massueger. 

1874.  Iowa  Conference,  Ackley,  Iowa,  April  i6.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.C.  Pfund  (German)  and  D.  H.  Kooker 
(English),  secretaries.  Licensed — J.  H.  Yaggy,  J.  A.  Rank,  C. 
Manwell,  J.  W.  Steinbach,  G.  Heinmiller,  E.  Miller,  W. 
Jonas,  J.  B.  Cole  and  F.  Erase.  Located — O.  Long,  J.  Rank 
and  G.  Eckert.  Ordained  elders — W.  H.  Newman,  O.  Rall, 
M.  Knoll,  J.  H.  Pippert,  J.  J.  Miller,  J.  P.  Just,  W.  C.  Reinke 
and  C.  Hiller.  Deacons — E.  B.  Utt,  L.  Keep,  A.  P.  Haupt, 
A.  C.  Heckathorne,  E.  E.  Bonta,  A.  J.  Culver,  J.  P.  Pflaum, 
M.  Gruener,  H.  Stettrecht,  F.  Loehle,  W.  Werfeld  and  J. 
F.  Hahn.  Supernumerary — J.  Harlacher,  H.  J.  Bowman  and 
J.  NuHN.  H.  J.  Bowman  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder, 
and  E.  J.  Schultz  was  re-elected  and  H.  Brauer  and  D.  H. 
Kooker  newly  elected  to  the  same.  Missions  were  located  at 
Stanton,  Aurora,  Sioux  City,  Humboldt,  Grand  Junction,  Moin- 
gona,  Seneca,  Nora  Springs  and  Boone. 

Districts:  Cedar  Rapids,  Joseph  Buzzard,  presiding  elder; 
Dubuque,  E.  J.  Schultz;  Des  Moines,  D.  H.  Kooker;  Ackley, 
J.  Henn ;  Nebraska,  H.  Brauer. 

1874.  Kansas  Conference,  near  Rulo,  Neb.,  March  19. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  George 
Merk  was  licensed.  H.  Alleman  and  B.  Hoffman  withdrew. 
Located — W.  Folgate  and  W.  Luttman.  W.  Lingelbach  took 
credentials.  Ordained  elders — H.  Koepsel,  F.  W.  Volgelein 
and  C.  Linge.  Deacons — L.  Wenger  and  J.  H.  Kiplinger. 
E.  E.  CoNDo,  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  was  received. 

Districts :  Kansas,  J.  G.  Pfeif?er,  presiding  elder ;  Missouri, 
J.  Wuerth. 

1874.  Minnesota  Conference,  Salem  Church,  Olmstead 
county,  Minn.,  May  7.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  H.  E. 
Linse,  secretary.  Licensed — B.  Simon,  C.  Svdow,  J.  Gongall, 
C.  Stegner  and  C.  Roedge.  Ordained  elders — J.  Manthey, 
W.  Lenz,  J.  L.  Stegner,  P.  Bott  and  C.  A.  Schmidt.  Deacons — 
M.  Knopf,  W.  Oehler  and  F.  Sahr.  A.  Strohmeier  was  elected 
presiding  elder.    Mankato  District  was  formed. 


392 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts :  Winona,  W.  Stegner,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Paul,  L. 
Von  Wald ;  Mankota,  A.  Strohmeier. 

1874.  Indiana  Conference,  Noblesville,  Ind.,  Sept.  lo. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president;  M.  Hoehn,  secretary.  J.  Stoll 
died.  Located — H.  Praechtel,W.Wildermuth  and  H.  Price. 
J.  Keiper,  a.  Parker  and  J.  Ressler  took  credentials.  Licensed 
— J.  Reamer,  N.  Platz,  J.  Schamber,  G.  Roederer,  J.  Dust- 
man, J.  Fritz  and  J.  Sutter.  Ordained  elders — E.  H.  Over- 
MEYER,  E.  T.  Hochstedler  and  E.  Trover.  Deacons — G.  VV. 
Freehafer,  a.  Guist,  E.  D.  Einsel,  C.  C.  Beyrer,  A.  Shaefer, 
F.  Brauer,  a.  Trover  and  A.  V.  Scheidler.  J.  Ressler  was 
granted  credentials. 

Districts:  Evansville,  M,  Mayer,  presiding  elder;  Indian- 
apolis, J.  Fuchs ;  Fort  Wayne,  M.  W.  Steffey ;  Elkhart,  E.  L. 
Kipplinger. 

Notes. — During  this  year  the  remarkable  temperance  move- 
ment, called  the  Woman's  Crusade,  was  at  the  height  of  its  influ- 
ence, and  consequently  we  find  the  temperance  resolutions  of  the 
various  conferences  very  radical,  and  a  number  of  them  fully 
endorse  the  methods  followed  by  the  Woman's  Crusade. 

On  Oct.  8  the  new  Evangelical  PubRshing  House  at  Cleveland 
was  dedicated  with  imposing  ceremonies.  Dedicatory  addresses 
were  delivered  by  Bishops  Esher  and  Yeakel,  and  historical 
addresses  by  various  other  brethren.   The  structure  cost  1 3  7,  ooo. 

During  this  year  the  Church  maintained  270  missions,  26 
having  been  stricken  from  the  list.  The  actual  increase  over  the 
previous  year  was  48.  The  number  of  church  edifices  erected 
on  the  mission  fields  during  the  year  was  35. 

By  a  reference  to  the  statistics  for  this  year  the  reader  will 
observe  a  remarkable  increase  of  conversions  and  accessions 
over  the  previous  year.  This  ratio  of  increase  was  pretty  evenly 
maintained  throughout  the  entire  bounds  of  the  Church. 

1875.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Millersburg,  Pa.,  Feb.  24. 
Bishops  J.  J.  Esher  and  R.  Yeakel,  presidents;  C.  B.  Fliehr 
(German)  and  J.  C.  Hornberger  (English),  secretaries.  Li- 
censed— J.  C.  Waehlte,  J.  D.  Campbell,  M.  L.  Custer,  J.  A. 
Transue,  H.  J.  Glick,  F.  E.  Erdman,  G.  W.  Gross,  A.  Krecker 
and  S.  T.  Leopold.  Ordained  elders — U.  H.  Hershey,  J.  F. 
Wohlfarth  and  J.  M.  Oplinger.  Deacons — T.  Hess,  William 
Black,  G.  H.  Laury,  J.  M.  Rinker,  A.  Straus,  C.  S.  Brown 
and  A.  Warfel.    Died — R.  Driebelbis  (itinerant)  and  I.  Ober- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


398 


H0LT2ER,  C.  Yeakel  and  George  Reich  (locals).  Resolutions 
recommending  Cedar  Hill  Seminary,  Mt.  Joy,  Pa.,  were  adopted. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  S.  G.  Rhoads,  presiding  elder  ;  Read- 
ing, C.  S.  Haman  ;  Harrisburg,  C.  K.  Fehr ;  Pottsville,  S.  Neitz  ; 
Allentown,  J.  M.  Saylor;  Easton,  T.  Bowman. 

1875,  Central  Pa.  Conference,  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  March  4. 
Bishop  J.  J.Esher,  president;  I.  M.  Pines,  secretary.  Licensed — 
C.  C.  Reen,  J.  Laden.  O.  Barges,  J.  Shambach,  P.  W.  Group, 
B.  F.  Keller,  S.  O.  Musselman,  D.  Fry,  J.  H.  Peters,  J. 
Shultz,  I.  Bower,  C.  Price,  H.  Wagoner,  J.  D.  Stover,  G.  H. 
ScHLEH,  G.  Carothers,  G.  Hoffman  and  B.  F.  Anthony  ;  also 
J.  James  and  J.  Archer,  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  Ordained  elders — 
R.  Young,  R.  C.  Bowersox,  N.  Young,  J.  H.  Hetner,  J.  A. 
Irvine  and  W.  H.  Stover.  Deacons — A.  Stapleton,  H.  S. 
Bowers  and  W.  N.  Wallace  ;  also  I.  S.  Frain  and  L  Vonedi 
(locals).  E.  KoHR  and  S.  W.  Seibert  were  elected  presiding 
elders.  D.  P.  Rumberger  and  W.  E.  Weirick  took  credentials 
for  other  conferences. 

Districts :  Baltimore,  E.  Kohr,  presiding  elder ;  Carlisle, 
S.  W.  Seibert;  Lewisburg,  A.  L.  Reeser;  Williamsport,  M.  J. 
Carothers. 

1875.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  March  18. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  L.  M.  Boyer,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  More,  F.  Baumgardner,  E.  C.  Martin,  J.  Swartz, 
P.  Hauptfueher,  E.  W.  Smith,  I.  A.  Smith,  D.  Saylor,  E.  P. 
Hare,  J.  Weaver  and  W.  Yoder.  Ordained  elders — T.  Eisen- 
hower, J.  Seip,  a.  W.  Platt,  N.  Yoder,  F.  Bone  and  L.  H. 
Hetrick.  Deacons — G.  W.  White,  D.  K.  La  van,  J.  Portch, 
S.  Milliron,  G.  W.  Dunlap,  J.  J.  Carmany  and  J.  P.  Saylor. 
Died — E.  Stoever  and  E.  B.Vandyke.    G.  W.  Fisher  located. 

Districts :  Pittsburg,  A.  Niebel,  presiding  elder ;  Canton,  S. 
B.  Kring;  Franklin,  G.  S.  Domer;  Allegheny,  J.  J.  Bernhart ; 
Somerset,  J.  A.  Grimm. 

1875.  New  York  Conference,  Rochester,  N.Y.,  March  25. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  A.Unholtz,  secretary.  Licensed 
— J.  Risius,C.  Brant,  J.  Eberling,  and  W.  Waterman.  Ordained 
elders — J.  Lang  and  C.  F.  Stube.  Deacons — H.  Horn,  G.  H. 
Gelser,  a.  Bornheimer  and  L.  Schleich.  M.  Pfitzinger 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  M.  Lauer  was  re-elected 
and  M.  Lehn  newly  elected  to  the  office.  The  conference  united 
in  the  interests  of  Northwestern  College. 


394  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts :  Albany,  M.  Lauer,  presiding  elder ;  Rochester, 
A.  Holzwarth ;  Buffalo,  M.  Lehn. 

1875.  Canada  Conference,  Woolwich.  Ont.,  April  15.  W. 
Schmidt,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  Licensed — J. 
A.  Schmidt,  F.  Haist  and  W.  Simmons.  Ordained  deacons — 
G.  FiNKBEiNER  and  H.  G.  Schmidt.  W.  Schmidt  was  re-elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Hamilton,  P.  AUes,  presiding  elder ;  Hamburg, 
W.  Schmidt ;  Waterloo,  Joseph  Umbach. 

1875.  Ohio  Conference,  Tiffin,  O.,  April  22.  Bishop  J.  J. 
Esher,  president;  H.  Longbrake,  secretary.  Licensed — E.  L. 
Over,  M.  Mohn,  D.  Ewald  and  J.  Stoltz.  A.  P.  Dutcher, 
M.  D.,  was  received  from  the  M.  E.  Church.  Ordained  elders  — 
J.  Yauch,  A.  W.  Orwig  and  D.  H.  Rosenberg.  Deacons — T. 
Suhr,  E.  Wengert,  W.  a.  Shissler  and  J.  Drinkwater.  H. 
Zimmerman  and  D.  Wolf  (locals)  died.  J.  K.  Pontius  located. 
C.  Ehrhart  took  credentials ;  also  J.  Lawrence  and  F.  Stecher 
(locals) .  S.  Hov  and  J.  W.  Walkev  were  re-elected  presidingelders. 

Districts:  Sandusky,  J.  Stoll,  presiding  elder;  Cleveland,  S. 
Hoy  ;  Fremont,  C.  M.  Reinhold  ;  Columbus,  J.  W.  Walkey. 

1875.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Mazomane,  Wis.,  April  29, 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  A.  Tarnutzer,  secretary.  Li- 
censed—  F.  Illian,  C.  Kunst,  F.  Nehs,  W.  Kolander,  H. 
Kiekhoefer,  W.  Henneman  and  H.  Hosli.  Ordained  elders — J. 
U.  Elmer  and  F.  Nickel.   Deacons — H.  Clements,  C.Oertle, 

G.  Kern,  C.  Green  and  E.  Rothe.  W.  F.  Kaufman  died.  A. 
Yockel  located.  G.  FrItsche  was  again  elected  and  H.  Huel- 
STER,  H.  Shelp  and  M.  Wittenwvler  were  newly  elected  pre- 
siding elders. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  G.  Fritsche,  presiding  elder ;  Madison, 

H.  Huelstcr;  FonduLac,  H.  Schelp;  Mississippi, M.Wittenwyler. 
1875.    Illinois  Conference,  Elgin,  111.,  April  8.    Bishops  J. 

J.  Esher  and  R.  Yeakel,  presidents ;  M.  Stamm,  secretary. 
Ordained  elders — H.  H.  Duth,  H.  F.  Lashell,  F.  Busse,  D.  E. 
Fehr  and  J.  Wellner.  Deacons — A.  Strickfaden,C.  Shuster, 
P.  Zahn,  J.  F.  Grob,  G.  C.  Knoble  and  G.  Fuchs.  Received 
into  the  ministry — E.  Elfring,  W.  Fry,  W.  Shuster,  J.  Klip- 
hart.    G.  Messner  located.    P.  Hoffman  and  C.  Holl  died. 

Districts:  Chicago,  G.  Vetter,  presiding  elder;  Naperville, 
W.  Goessele ;  Freeport,  H.  Rohland ;  Mendota,  J.  Schaft'ele ; 
Peoria,  H.  Hintze. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


395 


1875.  Iowa  Conference,  Belle  Plaine,  Iowa,  April  15.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  H.  J.  Bowman,  secretary.  Licensed  — 
F-  Backmeier,  G.  G.  Zellhofer,  M.  Hart,  W.  Fisher,  R. 
ScHMiTz,  P.  Rickel  and  O.  Beck,  and  J.  G.  Bixler,  of  the  U. 
B.  Church.  Ordained  elders — A.  Buzzard  and  A.  Wagoner. 
Deacons — S.  H.  Witte,  A.  Houser,  G.  Koehn,  F.  Schnelsky, 
S.  A.  Pettit  and  G.  Herring.  J.  Nuhn  died.  J.  Croasman, 
A.  J.  Culver  and  C.  H.  Egge  took  credentials.  N.  Schuck, 
of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  was  received.  Resolutions  recom- 
mending the  division  of  the  conference  by  the  next  General 
Conference  were  adopted. 

Districts:  Cedar  Rapids,  J.  Buzzard,  presiding  elder;  Des 
Moines,  D.  H.  Kooker;  Dubuque,  E.  J.  Shultz ;  Ackley,  J.  Henn; 
Nebraska,  H.  Brauer. 

1875.  Minnesota  Conference,  East  Prairie,  Minn.,  May  7. 
W.  Stegner,  president;  H.  E.  Linse,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  Fondri  and  G.  Brizius.  Ordained  elders — C.  W.  Sydow  and 
H.  Hensel.  Deacons — L.  Passer  F.  Moede  and  J.  Zimmer- 
man. C.  Brill  was  newly  elected  and  W.  Stegner  re-elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Winona,  A.  Strohmeier,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Paul, 
W.  Stegner;  Mankato,  C.  Brill. 

1875.  Michigan  Conference,  La  Salle,  Mich.,  April  i. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president ;  E.  Weiss,  secretary.  Licensed — 
N.  G.  Curtis,  A.  Fry,  G.  Provost,  P.  Brumm  and  C.  Staffeld. 
Ordained  elders — L.  Brumm,  J.  W.  Loose,  F.  Sweitzer,  L. 
Kemmerling  and  F.  Dietrich.  Deacon — W.  Schefer.  C. 
BiCKEL  (local)  died.  C.  Dieke  located.  J.  Meck  resigned  the 
office  of  presiding  elder  and  S.  Copley  was  elected  to  the  same. 
L.  Scheurman  also  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and 
E.  Weiss  was  elected  in  his  stead.  Samuel  Heininger  took  an 
appointment  in  Oregon  under  the  Board  of  Missions. 

Districts  :  Detroit,  E.  Weiss,  presiding  elder  ;  St.  Joseph,  S. 
Copley ;  Saginaw,  J.  M.  Houg. 

1875.  Kansas  Conference,  near  Lawrence,  Kan.,  March  18. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president ;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — 
S.  Weaver,  J.  Brower  and  C.  Buchel.  C.  Erhart,  of  the 
Ohio  Conference,  was  received.  Ordained  elders — W.  Meier 
and  F.  Harder.  Deacons — W.  Heiser  and  D.  K.  Zeller. 
H.  Mattill  was  elected  presiding  elder  A  new  district  called 
Southwestern  District  was  formed. 


396  EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts :  Missouri,  J.  Wuerth,  presiding  elder ;  Holten,  J. 
G.  Pfeifer;  Southwestern,  H.  Mattill. 

1875.  Indiana  Conference,  Mt.  Carmel,  111.,  Sept.  2. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  M.  Hoehn,  secretary.  Licensed — 
C.  Stier,  C.  Hansing,  J.  Kolmer,  G.  Frederick,  H.  B.  Lyons, 
J.  Bruckert  and  L.  W.  Crawford.  Ordained  elders — H. 
Schleicher,  W.  G.  Brackly,  F.  Hansing,  J.  C.  Young  and  C. 
Stockhowe.  Deacon — G.  Berstecher.  J.  Mauer  located. 
A.  Parker,  S.  Heiss  and  J.  Ressler  withdrew.  H.  L.  Fisher 
and  M.  Kreuger  were  newly  elected  and  M.  W.  Steffey  and 
J.  Fuchs  were  re-elected  presiding  elder.  H.  E.Overmeyer,  C. 
Glaus  and  R.  Riegel  took  credentials. 

Districts  :  Olney,  J.  Fuchs,  presiding  elder ;  Evansville,  H. 
L.  Fisher ;  Indianapolis,  M.  Kreuger ;  Fort  Wayne,  E.  L.  Kip- 
linger  ;  Elkhart,  M,  W.  Steffey. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Sixteenth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Philadelphia,  Pa., 
Oct.  i4-Nov.  4,  1875. 

1875.  General  Conference,  sixteenth  session,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  Oct.  14-N0V.  4.  J.  J.  EsHER,  R.  Yeakel,  R.  Dubs  and  T. 
Bowman,  bishops ;  H.  Huelster,  secretary ;  R.  Mott,  E.  J. 
ScHULTZ,  J.  C.  Hornberger,  H.  B.  Hartzler  and  S.  Smith, 
assistant  secretaries. 

The  conference  was  addressed  by  J.  Rothweiler,  fraternal 
delegate  from  the  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church.  Bishop  Simpson,  of  the  same  Church,  also  favored 
the  conference  with  a  very  edifying  address. 

Memorial  services  were  held  in  respect  to  Father  J.  P.  Leib, 
a  member  of  the  last  General  Conference,  and  who  recently  had 
entered  upon  his  eternal  rest. 

Inasmuch  as  great  preparations  were  being  made  for  the  cele- 
bration of  the  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  American  Independ- 
ence, the  conference  referred  the  matter  to  a  committee.  The 
report,  which  was  adopted,  finds  ample  reasons  for  recognizing 
the  hand  of  God  in  our  national  history,  and  suggests  that  during 
the  Centennial  year  (1876)  appropriate  services,  commemorative 
of  the  event,  be  held,  and  that  memorial  funds  be  raised  for 
educational  purposes,  etc. 

It  was  resolved  (i)  to  publish  a  monthly,  eight-page,  illus- 
trated Sunday-school  paper,  for  use  in  primary  department  work ; 
(2)  the  Sunday- School  Messenger  and  Christ  lie  he  Kinderfreund 
shall  also  be  published  weekly;  (3)  a  monthly  Sunday-school 
journal  shall  be  published ;  (4)  the  revised  German  hymn  book 
shall  be  published  in  two  forms;  (5)  a  revised  English  hymn 
book  with  notes  shall  be  published. 


398  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


(i)  The  southern  part  of  Indiana  Conference  was  constituted 
into  South  Indiana  Conference.  (2)  The  English  work  in  the 
Iowa  Conference  was  constituted  the  Des  Moines  Conference. 
(3)  The  Iowa  Conference  was  also  authorized  to  form  the  Ne- 
braska District  into  a  conference  within  the  coming  four  years, 
provided  two-thirds  of  the  members  of  the  Iowa  Conference  shall 
agree  to  the  same.  (4)  The  Germany  Conference  was  "vested 
with  the  right  and  power  to  divide  her  territory  according  to 
best  judgment  into  two  conference  districts."  (s)  A  German 
conference  was  constituted  of  the  German  congregations  along 
the  Atlantic  seaboard  and  called  the  Atlantic  Conference.  (6)  A 
German  conference  was  constituted  in  the  interior,  called  the 
Erie  Conference.  (7)  The  work  on  the  Pacific  Coast  was  con- 
stituted into  "The  Pacific  Conference."  Steps  shall  be  taken  at 
once  to  provide  for  organization.  The  bishops  shall  designate 
the  time  and  place  of  the  first  session. 

Elections :  Bishops,  J.  J.  Esher,  R.  Yeakel,  R.  Dubs  and 
T.  Bowman  ;  publisher,  W.  F.  Schneider  ;  editor  of  Christliche 
Botschafter,  M.  Lauer  ;  Evangelical  Messenger,  J.  Hartzler  ; 
Evangelical  Magazine  and  German  Sunday-School  Literature, 
W.  Horn;  Living  Epistle  and  English  Sunday-School  Litera- 
ture, H.  J.  Bowman  ;  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Missionary 
Society,  J.  Young  ;  Treasurer  of  the  Missionary  Society,  W. 
Yost;  Superintendent  of  Orphan's  Home,  Jacob  Dreisbach  ; 
editor  of  Evangelische  Botschafter,  J.  Kaechele  ;  Kinderfreund, 
G.  FuEssELE ;  book  agent  in  Germany,  J.  Waltz, 

After  some  discussion,  it  was  resolved  to  establish  a  mission 
in  Japan,  and  the  Board  of  Missions  was  instructed  to  undertake 
the  work  as  soon  as  two  suitable  men  can  be  found.  Before  the 
vote  was  taken  C.  F.  Deininger,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference, 
suggested  a  season  of  silent  prayer,  after  which  the  vote  was 
taken  amid  great  enthusiasm,  resulting  unanimously  in  favor  of 
the  mission. 

The  last  General  Conference  having  appointed  a  Committee 
on  Questions  of  Law,  said  committee  submitted  their  report  on 
upwards  of  twenty  questions,  which  was  adopted  and  ordered  to 
be  appended  to  the  Discipline. 

As  the  advisability  of  changing  our  Church  name  had  been 
agitated  for  some  time,  recommendations  to  that  effect  were  sub- 
mitted to  the  General  Conference.  After  a  full  discussion  on  the 
subject,  the  matter  was  disposed  of  negatively. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


399 


Delegates — East  Fa.  Conference. — Thos.  Bowman,  J.  Yea- 
kel,  J.  M.  Saylor,  J.  Koehl,  S.  G.  Rhoads,  C.  S.  Haman,  J.  O. 
Lehr,  F.  Hoffman,  S.  Neitz,  L.  Snyder,  J.  C,  Hornberger,  C. 
K.  Fehr,  and  F.  Krecker  alternate  for  J.  P.  Leib,  deceased. 

Central  Pa.  Conference. — M.  J.  Carothers,  S.  Smith,  C.  F. 
Deininger,  E.  Kohr,  S.  W.  Seibert,  I.  M.  Pines,  A.  L.  Reeser, 
H.  B.  Hartzler  and  B.  Hengst.  Also  S.  T.  Buck,  alternate  in 
place  of  the  latter,  who  was  necessitated  to  leave. 

Pittsburg  Conference. — G.  S.  Domer,  J.  L.  W.  Seibert,  J. 
D.  Domer,  J.  J.  Bernhart,  S.  B.  Kring,  R.  Mott  and  H.  B.  Sum- 
mers. 

JVew  York  Conference. — M.  Lauer,  M.  Pfitzinger,  A.  Holz- 
worth  and  M.  Lehn. 

Ohio  Conference.—].  Stoll,  J.  W.  Walkey,  W.  W.  Orwig,  C. 
M.  Reinhold,  D.  Strohman,  G.  F.  Spreng,  S.  Hoy,  C.  Hammer 
and  J.  Lerch, 

Canada  Conference. — P.  Alles,  C.  A.  Thomas  and  J.  Umbach; 
alternate,  F.  Herlan. 

Indiana  Conference. — M.  W.  Steffy,  E.  L.  Kiplinger,  J. 
Fuchs,  M.  Krueger,  J.  Kaufman  and  M.  Mayer ;  alternate,  M. 
Hoehn. 

Michigan  Conference. — J.  M.  Haug,  S.  Coply  and  J.  Mueller; 
alternate,  E.  Weiss. 

Illinois  Conference. — W.  Goessele,  G.  Vetter,  H.  Rohland, 
J.  Himmel,  J.  Schneider,  D.  B.  Byers,  J.  Schaffle,  S.  Dickover, 
H.  Hintze,  M.  Stamm  and  C.  Hummel. 

Iowa  Conference. — J.  Bossert,  H.  Brauer,  H.  J.  Bowman, 
J.  Henn,  E.  J.  Shultz,  J.  F.  Berner,  D.  H.  Kooker  and  H. 
Lageschulte. 

Wisconsin  Conference. — G.  Fritsche,  M.  Wittenwyler,  H. 
Huelster,  C.  F.  Zimmerman,  H.  Schelp,  C.  A.  Schnake  and 
A.  Tarnutzer. 

Minnesota  Conference. — W.  Stegner,  C.  Brill  and  A.  Stroh- 
mier. 

Kansas  Conference. — J.  G.  PfeufEer  and  J.  Wuerth. 

Germany  Conference. — J.  Kaechele  and  J.  Waltz. 

Ex-officio  Delegates. — W.  F.  Schneider,  W.  Horn,  R.  Dubs, 
J.  Young,  J.  Hartzler  and  W.  Yost. 

1876.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa.,  Febru- 
ary 23.  Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president;  W.  K.  Wieand,  secre- 
tary.   Licensed — J.  Shirev,  J.  W.  Wohrley,  J.  W.  Hoover, 


400  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Dr.  F.  Krecker,  J.  R.  Hensel  and  S.  H.  Dunkelberger. 
Ordained  elders — J.  Bowman,  H.  R.  Yost,  A.  Markly,  J.  S. 
Newhart  and  D.  A.  Medlar.  Deacons — S.  T.  Leopold, 
H.  D.  Shultz,  I.  J.  Reitz,  A.  Dilabar,  A.  Krecker  and  G. 

D.  SwEiGERT.  Died — J.  P.  Leib,  S.  G.  Rhoads  and  J. 
Shell.  W.  C.  Kantner  and  M.  Guhl  took  credentials.  J.  O. 
Lehr  and  J.  E.  Knerr  were  newly,  and  J.  M.  Saylor  was  re- 
elected presiding  elder.  H.  A.  Neitz  was  elected  as  collector 
for  the  proposed  Centennial  College. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  J.  M.  Saylor,  presiding  elder;  Read- 
ing, C.  S.  Haman ;  Harrisburg,  C.  K.  Fehr;  Pottsville,  I.  E. 
Knerr;  Allentown,  S.  Neitz;  Bethlehem,  J.  O.  Lehr. 

1876.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Green  Street  Evangelical 
Church,  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  2.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  presi- 
dent; U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary.  Licensed — J.  W.  Lindsey, 
J.  F.  McCachran,  D.  S.  Lepley,  H.  S.  Basom,  J.  J.  Lohr,  F. 
Passmore,  George  Josephs,  H.  W.  Lilly,  P.  C.  Weidemyer 
and  J.  Hertz.  Ordained  elders — E.  Swengel,  G.  W.  Currin, 
G.  F.  Yeager,  L.  Matthias,  P.  M.  Coup,  J.  M.  Longsdorf, 
J.  M.  Brader,  H.  N.  Greninger.  F.  M.  Baker  and  A.  W. 
Bower.  Deacons — D.  P.  Kline,  J.  E.  Courter,  P.  F.  Jarrett, 
L.  Dice  and  George  Carothers.  Located — P.  Graham,  H. 
Conrad  and  H.  H.  Ream.  Withdrawn — S.  Wolf.  Died — 
J.  M.  Young.  Granted  credentials — G.  F.  Yeager,  A.  Rear- 
iCK,  S.  O.  MussELMAN,  H.  HuMMELBACH  and  D.  C.  Frey. 
Jacob  Young  and  H.  E.  Weirick  were  again  received.  M.  J. 
Carothers  and  A.  L.  Reeser  were  re-elected  presiding  elders. 
S.  Buck  was  elected  as  collector  for  the  projected  Centennial 
College.  H.  B.  Hartzler,  assistant  editor  of  the  Evangelical 
Messenger. 

Districts :  York,  S.  W.  Seibert,  presiding  elder ;  Carlisle, 

E.  Kohr;  Lewisburg,  A.  S.  Reeser;  Williamsport,  M.  J.  Ca- 
rothers. 

1876.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Franklin  Pa.,  March  16. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  L.  M.  Boyer,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  Smith,  E.  Duffy,  J.  S.  Mercer  and  R.  Reed. 
Ordained  elders — T.  Bach,  W.  M.  Stanford,  A.  W.  Teats 
and  I.  A.  Rohland.  Deacons — J.  A.  Smith,  A.  S.  Baum- 
gardner  and  W.  A.  Reininger.  Died — W.  H.  Stoll.  A. 
Rearick,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  was  received.  A. 
Nikbel  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  G.  S.  Domer 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


401 


was  re-elected  to  the  same.  Granted  credentials — W.  Schmidt. 
J.  Stroup,  a  local  preacher  of  the  U.  B.  Church,  was  received. 
J.  Weikel  and  G.  W.  Cupp  were  granted  a  supernumerary  rela- 
tion. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  G.  S.  Domer,  presiding  elder ;  Franklin, 
S.  B.  Kring;  Allegheny,  J.  J.  Bernhart ;  Somerset,  J.  A.  Grimm. 

1876.  New  York  Conference,  Ebenezer,  near  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
March  9.  Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president;  J.  Siegrist,  secre- 
tary. G.  Flegler  was  received  on  probation.  Ordained 
elders — J.  Burkhardt,  J.  Vosseler,  H.  Newinger  and  C. 
MowiTZ.  Deacons — J.  Schaff  was  superannuated.  T.  Schneider 
was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Albany,  T.  Schneider,  presiding  elder;  Rochester; 
A.  Holzwarth  ;  Buffalo,  M.  Lehn. 

1876.  Canada  Conference,  Campden,  Ont.,  April  20. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president ;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— H.  A.  Thomas  and  A.  Eby.  Ordained  elder — S.  L. 
Umbach.  Deacon  —  F.  Swartz.  F.  F.  Meyer  was  granted 
credentials. 

Districts :  Hamilton,  P.  AUes,  presiding  elder ;  Waterloo, 
J.  Umbach;  Hamburg,  W.  Schmidt. 

1876.  Ohio  Conference,  West  Salem,  Ohio,  April  13. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  J.  Lerch,  secretary.  Died — 
W.  Snyder.  E.  C.  Turner,  H.  Wissler,  J.  Frankhouser, 
W.  H.  Ingel  and  W.  Wonder  took  credentials.  J.  Yauch  and 
J.  Drinkwater,  located.  Licensed — J.  Hoy,  A.  Evans,  S.  P. 
Spreng,  E.  Loose,  J.  Hensel,  H.  Brenneman,  J.  O.  Stoll, 
J.  W.  Smith,  P.  W.  Bidelbach  and  F.  Shubert.  S.  S.  Condo, 
of  the  Indiana  Conference,  J.  Mason,  of  the  U.  B.  Church, 
and  W.  Horn,  of  the  Congregational  Church,  were  received. 
Ordained  elders — G.  W.  Ellenberger,  L.  W.  Hankey  and  H. 
Spitler.  Deacons — J.  E.  Stewart,  B.  C.  Oyler,  D.  Ellen- 
berger and  S.  Cocklin. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  John  Stoll,  presiding  elder;  Fremont, 
S.  Hoy ;  Columbus,  J.  W.  Walkey. 

1876.  Michigan  Conference,  lona,  Mich.,  April  6.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  S.  Heime,  secretary.  F.  Klump,  F. 
Walter  and  F.  S.  Root  were  received  on  probation.  Ordained 
elders — D.  P.  Rumberger,  W.  Berge,  J.  G.  Haller  and  F. 
Miller.  Deacons — P.  Bittner,  P.  Berg,  J.  Timm  and  G.  A. 
Hettler. 


402  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts  :  Detroit,  E.  Weiss,  presiding  elder  ;  St.  Joseph, 
S.  Coply ;  Saginaw,  J.  M.  Haug. 

1876.  Illinois  Conference,  Naperville,  111.,  April  13. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHBR,  president;  A.  Knoble,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  Fink,  W.  H.  Fouke,  W.  Gross,  J.  J.  Lintner,  S. 
A.  Miller,  M.  Obergfeld,  P.  Reinders,  W.  Schweiker,  C.  F. 
Stuewig  and  Prof.  H.  H.  Rassweiler.  Ordained  elders  — 
J.  F.  Grob  and  W.  Schmus.    Deacons — H.  Eller,  C.  Danner, 

G.  Martin  and  A.  Riemschneider,  J.  Kuechel  located. 
J.  Schneider,  D.  B.  Byers  and  J.  Himmel  were  elected  presid- 
ing elders. 

Districts:  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  presiding  elder;  Naper- 
ville, W.  Goessele;  Freeport,  D.  B.  Byers;  Mendota,  J.  Him- 
mel ;  Peoria,  H.  Hintze. 

1876.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Monroe,  Wis.,  April  27. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  A.  Tarnutzer,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— C.  Wiegand,  J.  E.  Staufacher,  G.  Friedrich,  J.  Dick- 
fuss,  C.  Reichert,  F.  Haberman  and  H.  Best.  Ordained 
elders — C.  Schneider  and  T.  F.  Eilert.  G.  Von  Eschen  took 
credentials. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  G.  Fritsche,  presiding  elder ;  Madison, 

H.  H.  Huelster ;  Fond  du  Lac,  H.  Schelp;  Mississippi,  M. 
Wittenweiler. 

1876.  Minnesota  Conference,  near  Blue  Earth  City,  Minn. , 
May  5.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  E.  J.  Hielscher,  secre- 
tary. Ordained  elders — M.  Knopf,  W.  Oehler  and  F.  Sahr. 
Deacons — C.  R.  Koch,  J.  Gongell,  B.  Simon,  C.  Sydow. 
Licensed — H.  Ohs,  H.  Klatt,  C.  Priebe,  W.  C.  Stegner,  F. 
Wotter,  G.  Syboldt,  F.  Schmidt  and  E.  Movins.  W.  Stegner 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and  H.  E.  Linse  was 
elected  to  the  same. 

Districts :  Winona,  A.  Strohmeier,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Paul, 
H.  E.  Linse ;  Mankato,  C.  Brill. 

1876.  Iowa  Conference,  Merrill,  la.,  April  20.  Bishop  R. 
Dubs,  president ;  J.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — V.  Griese, 
C.  A.  Mueller,  J.  M.  Zellhoefer,  W.  Schoerin,  M.  In- 
halter,  N.  Nagle,  a.  Fisher,  H.  Hiebenthal  and  C.  Schmidt. 
Ordained  elders — M.  Gruener,  W.  Warfield,  H.  Stellrecht 
and  J.  P.  Pflaum,  Deacons — Emil  Mueller,  W.  Jonas,  O. 
Gerhart,  G.  Heinmiller,  F.  W.  Fisher,  F.  A.  Frase,  E. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


403 


NoLTE  and  H.  S.  Butz.  L.  Reep  and  J.  Abrams  were  received 
into  the  conference. 

Districts  :  Dubuque.  E.  J.  Shultz,  presiding  elder :  Ackley, 
J.  Henn ;  Nebraska,  H.  Brauer. 

1876.  Kansas  Conference,  near  Leavenworth,  Kan., 
March  23.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  C.  Berner,  secretary. 
Licensed — D.  Honstadt  and  R.  Stahle.  Ordained  elders — 
J.  KiPLiNGER  and  L.  Wenger.  Deacon — J.  G.  Merkt.  J.  C. 
Emmel  located.  J.  Dengel,  S.  Swartz,  F.  Stecher,  G.  F. 
Yeager,  S.  Werner,  H.  A.  Hummelbach  and  W.  Wonder 
from  other  conferences  were  admitted.  E.  E.  Condo  was  dis- 
missed. F.  W.  Voegelein  went  to  the  Pacific  Conference 
under  appointment  of  the  Board  of  Missions. 

Districts:  Holton,  J.  G.  Pfeifer,  presiding  elder;  Missouri, 
J.  Wuerth ;  South  West,  H.  Mattill. 

1876.  Des  Moines  Conference  held  its  first  annual  session 
in  Blairstown,  Iowa,  beginning  April  13.  Bishop  R.  Dubs, 
president;  William  Klinefelter,  secretary.  Ordained  elders — 
A.  C.  Heckathorn,  L.  Reep  and  E.  E.  Bonta.  Deacons — 
J.  H.  Yaggy,  J.  A.  Rank,  A.  T.  Wilkins,  I.  Baker,  J.  Houtz 
and  J.  A.  Carpenter.  E.  E.  Condo,  of  the  Kansas,  J.  D. 
Campbell,  of  the  Central  Pa.,  and  J.  F.  Strayer,  of  the  Pittsburg 
Conference,  were  admitted;  also  G.  W.  Lutz,  of  the  M.  E. 
Church.  Licensed — L.  Piper.  C.  W.  Anthony  was  elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Cedar  Rapids,  C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder; 
Des  Moines,  D.  H.  Kooker. 

1876.  Erie  Conference  held  its  first  session  in  the  Heights 
Church,  Cleveland,  O.,  March  3.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president; 
R.  Mott,  secretary.  Conference  organized  with  nineteen  mem- 
bers. W.  W.  Orwig  and  G.  F.  Spreng  were  elected  presiding 
elders.  Ordained  elder — L.  Seither.  Deacon — V.  Braim. 
J.  A.  Yingst  was  received  on  probation.    J.  Honecker  located. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  W.  W.  Orwig,  presiding  elder ;  Pitts- 
burg, G.  F.  Spreng. 

1876.  Atlantic  Conference  was  organized  at  the  session  of 
the  East  Pa.  Conference,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa.,  February  24, 
with  twelve  members.  Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president ;  J-  Koehl, 
secretary.  Licensed — J.  K.  Shultz.  Jesse  Yeakel  was  elected 
presiding  elder  for  the  conference  district. 


404  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1876.  Indiana  Conference,  Bremen  md.,  September  14. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  C.  C.  Bvrer,  secretary.  Died — 
C.  Glaus.  Granted  credentials — E.  Evans  and  J.  Schmidli 
Licensed — T.  L.  Coverdale,  W.  Ackerman,  A.  Evans  and  J.  H. 
Stedke.  Ordained  elders — E-  D.  Einsel.  G.  W.  Freehafer, 
A.  R.  Shafer,  a.  Geist,  C.  C.  Byrer  and  A.  J.  Trover.  Dea- 
cons— N.  J.  Platz,  J.  Mode,  B.  F.  Dill  and  C.  C.  Baum- 
gardner.    Located — B.  Uphaus  and  A.  J.  Trover. 

Districts :  Elkhart,  M.  W.  Steffy,  presiding  elder ;  Fort 
Wayne,  E.  L.  Kipplinger  ;  Indianapolis,  M.  Krueger. 

1876.  South  Indiana  Conference  held  its  first  session  in 
Bremen,  Ind.,  September  14.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president.; 
W.  G.  Braeckly,  secretary.  Auxiliary  missionary  and  Sunday- 
school  and  tract  societies  were  organized.  *  The  conference  re- 
mained in  union  with  Northwestern  College. 

Districts:  Olney,  John  Fuchs,  presiding  elder;  Evansville, 
H.  L.  Fisher. 

1876.  Pacific  Conference  was  organized  at  Salem,  Ore., 
September  28.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  J.  Bowersox, 
secretary.  Deacon — W.  C.  Kantner.  This  was  the  first  ordi- 
nation preformed  by  a  bishop  of  the  Evangelical  Association  on 
the  Pacific  Coast.  One  hundred  and  two  conversions  and  142 
accessions  were  reported  for  the  past  year.  J.  Bowersox  was 
elected  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 

Appointments  :  J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder,  and  also  mis- 
sionary at  Albany;  Salem,  Miss.,  S.  Heininger;  Yamhill,  Miss., 
W.  C.  Kantner;  Corvallis,  Miss.,  J.  Croasman ;  San  Francisco, 
Cal.,  F.  W.  Vogelein. 

Note. — The  first  Evangelical  camp-meeting  on  the  Pacific 
Coast  was  held  in  June,  1876,  three  miles  southwest  of  Wheat- 
land, attended  by  all  the  missionaries  in  Oregon. 

This  year  was  one  of  unusual  activity  within  the  church. 
The  last  General  Conference  having  taken  cognizance  of  the 
coming  centennial  year,  and  having  advised  the  annual  confer- 
ences to  take  suitable  action,  nearly  all  the  conferences  passed 
appropriate  resolutions,  and  most  of  them  recommended  that 
jubilee  services  be  held  on  July  2.  The  funds  collected  by  the 
conferences  connected  with  Northwestern  College,  were  con- 
tributed to  that  institution,  while  in  the  East  they  were  applied 
forj conference  purposes. 


COITFERENCB  RECORDS. 


406 


In  the  East  and  Central  Pennsylvania  Conferences  measures 
were  taken  for  the  establishment  of  a  higher  institution  of  learn- 
ing. Strong  committees  were  appointed,  the  purpose  being  to 
raise  un  endowment  of  $100,000,  and  work  was  to  begin  in  the 
selection  of  a  site  and  erection  of  buildings  as  soon  as  three- 
fourths  of  the  above  amount  was  pledged.  Rev.  H.  A.  Neitz 
was  the  collector  for  the  East  Pa.  and  Rev.  S.  T.  Buck,  for  the 
Central  Pa.  Conference.  The  Pittsburg  Conference,  while  en- 
dorsing the  movement,  did  not  deem  it  advisable  to  put  a  col- 
lector in  the  field.  The  canvass  of  the  agents  showed  conclu- 
sively that  the  movement  was  premature,  and  at  the  close  of  the 
year  the  project  was  abandoned.  In  other  ventures  the  work 
of  the  Church  was  more  successful.  Especially  was  this  true  of 
the  heathen  mission.  In  October  Dr.  F.  Krecker,  with  his 
family,  and  A.  Halmhuber,  started  on  their  journey  for  Japan. 
God's  favor  rested  on  the  undertaking. 

Biographical  Notes. — Among  the  ministrers  who  closed 
their  work  on  earth  during  this  year  was  Father  Jeremiah  M. 
Young,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  who  died  near  Hazelton, 
Pa.,  January  20.  He  was  born  in  York,  Pa.,  in  1806,  entered 
the  West  Pa.  Conference  in  1846,  and  was  elected  presiding  elder 
in  1864,  serving  one  term.  February  21,  Isaac  Hoffert  died 
in  Chicago,  111.  He  was  born  near  Reading,  Pa.,  in  1811, 
entered  the  active  ranks  of  the  Western  Conferences  in  1837, 
and  traveled  in  Pennsylvania,  Ohio  and  Illinois. 

1877.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Shamokin,  Pa.,  February  28. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  S.  B.  Brown,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— H.  Wingert,  a.  M.  Sampsel,  A.  V.  Hirst,  F.  Smith, 
D.  W.  Bixler,  I.  S.  DissiNGER,  G.  W.  Wagoner,  C.  Y. 
Weidenhammer,  J.  B.  Cole,  A.  E.  Fordman  and  G.  W.  Moore. 
Ordained  elders — A.  W.  Warfel,  L.  E.  Leslie,  W.  L.  Black, 
T.  A.  Hess,  C.  S.  Brown,  J.  M.  Rinker  and  C.  S.  Brevfogel. 
Deacons— G.  W.  Gross,  H.  J.  Click,  M.  L.  Custer,  N.  B. 
Shirk  and  Dr.  F.  Krecker,  missionary  in  Japan.  G.  B.  Fisher 
and  J.  K.  Workman  located.  H.  A.  Neitz  to  rest  a  year  on 
account  of  ill  health.  Granted  credentials — M.  L.  Custer 
and  N.  B.  Shirk. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  J.  M.  Saylor,  presiding  elder ;  Read- 
ing, C.  S.  Haman ;  Harrisburg,  C.  K.  Fehr ;  Pottsville,  I.  E. 
Knerr ;  Allentown,  S.  Neitz ;  Bethlehem,  J.  O.  Lehr. 


406  E  VANGELICAL  A8S0CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


1877.  "  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Williamsport,  Pa.,  March  8. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president ;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary.  Died — 
A.  LoNGSDORF.  Licensed — D.  M.  Strike,  C.  S.  Stroup,  J.  C. 
Reeser,  J.  McCamey,  W.  H.  Hartman,  H.  Vanson,  J.  A. 
HoLLENBACH,  T.  A.  Shortiss,  H.  W.  Gross,  F.  S.  Vought,  S. 
F.  Sheary,  C.  F.  Gephart,  S.  Wright  and  A.  W.  Berry. 
Ordained  elders — A.  Stapleton,  H.  S.  Bower  and  W.  N. 
Wallace.  Deacons — P.  W.  Group,  B.  F.  Keller,,  B.  F.  An- 
thony, H.  C.  Berger  and  J.  F.  Shultz.  J.  Bowersox  and  A. 
W.  Bower  joined  the  Pacific  Conference.  H.  S.  Bower  also 
took  credentials.  P.  M.  Coup  withdrew.  M.  Graham,  I. 
Leas  and  C.  Knoll,  members  of  other  churches,  were  admitted. 

Districts:  York,  S.  W.  Seibert,  presiding  elder ;  Carlisle,  E. 
Kohr ;  Lewisburg,  A.  L.  Reeser ;  Williamsport,  M.  J.  Ca- 
rothers. 

1877.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Millville,  Pa.,  May  15, 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president;  W.  M.  Stanford,  secretary. 
Licensed — J.  W.  Domer,  N.  S.  George,  A.  J.  Greenawalt, 
P.  S.  File,  T.  Green,  J.  Lowman,  J.  D.  Miller,  S.  Coy  and 
M.  J.  Balentine.  Ordained  elders — L.  I.  Baumgardner,  S. 
Milliron,  D.  K.  Lavan,  F.  P.  Saylor,  G.  W.  Dunlap  and  J.  J. 
Carmany.  Deacons — Jacob  Smith,  R.  P.  Van  Meter  and  J. 
Trezise,  of  another  church,  were  admitted.  J.  L.  W.  Seibert 
and  J.  King  took  a  supernumerary  relation.  J.  J.  Bernhart 
was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Pittsburg,  G.  S.  Domer,  presiding  elder ;  Frank- 
lin, S.  B.  Kring ;  Allegheny,  J.  A.  Grimm ;  Somerset,  J.  J. 
Bernhart. 

1877,  New  York  Conference,  Utica,  N.  Y.,  March  8. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  J.  Siegrist,  secretary.  Or- 
dained elders — H.  Horn  and  G.  H.  Geiser.  Deacons — J. 
Eberling  and  J.  Luttberger.  F.  Nussbukel  was  received  on 
probation.    A.  Holzwarth  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Albany,  A.  Holzwarth,  presiding  elder  ;  Rochester, 
T.  Schneider ;  Buffalo,  M.  Lehn. 

1877.  Canada  Conference,  Sebringville,  Ont.,  April  19. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— D.  Kreh,  I.  Moyer,  F.  Meier  and  D.  D.  Rife.  Or- 
dained elders — H.  G.  Schmidt  and  G.  Finkbiner.  Deacons — ^ 
J.  J.  Klipphart,  W.  Simmons,  J.  A.  Schmidt  and  F.  Haist. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


407 


S.  MoRLEY,  F.  ScHARFFE  and  C.  Pfeuffer  located.  P.  Alles 
was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Waterloo,  P.  Alles,  presiding  elder;  Sebringville, 
W.  Schmidt ;  Carrick,  Joseph  Umbach. 

1877.  Ohio  Conference,  Mt.Cor),  Ohio,  April  12.  Bishop 
R.  Yeakel,  resident ;  J.  Lerch,  secretary.  Died — A.  E. 
Dreisbach.  Licensed — W.  A.  Sechrist,  W.  F,  McMillan, 
C.  L.  Crowther  and  J.  Nonnamaker.  H.  B.  Davis  and  J.  D. 
Downy,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  J.  Hall,  of  the  Lu- 
theran Church,  were  admitted.  Ordained  elder — E.Wengerd. 
Deacons — J.  Burkett  and  D.  Curlis.  J.  N.  Richards  and 
O.  P.  Fahs  withdrew.  S.  Hippert  took  credentials.  W.  Wit- 
TiNGTON  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  J.  W.  Walkey,  presiding  elder;  Fre- 
mont, S.  Hoy;  Columbus,  W.  Wittington. 

1877.  Illinois  Conference,  Washington,  111.,  April  12. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  M.  Stamm,  secretary.  Licensed — 
C.  Stoebler,  p.  Spath,  H.  F.  Kletzing,  W.  Coon,  J.  W. 
Buck,  C.  F.  Fehr  and  A.  Egli.  Ordained  elders — P.  Zahn, 
G.  Fuchs  and  C.  Shuster.  Deacons — W.  C.  Frey  and  W. 
Shuster.  H.  H.  Duth,  J.  Switzer  and  G.  M.  Young  located. 
J.  F.  Grob  joined  the  Atlantic  Conference. 

Districts :  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  presiding  elder ;  Naper- 
ville,  W.  Goessele ;  Freeport,  D.  B.  Byers ;  Mendota,  J.  Him- 
mel ;  Peoria,  H.  Hintze. 

1877.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  April  26. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president ;  A.  Tarnutzer,  secretary. 
Died — C.  A.  Schnake  and  D.  Herb.  C.  Koch  withdrew. 
W.  Karm  and  J.  G.  Kern  located.  Licensed — J.  Elfman  and 
W.  Detert.  Ordained  elders — H.  Clement,  J,  G.  Kern, 
C.  Green,  E.  Rhode  and  C.  Oertli.  Deacons — F.  Hohn- 
MUTH,  J.  W.  Henneman,  A.  Haas,  C.  Kunst,  F.  Illian  and 
M.  Nuss. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  G.  Fritsche,  presiding  elder;  Madi- 
son, H.  Huelster ;  Fond  du  Lac,  H.  Schelp  ;  Mississippi,  W. 
Wittenwyler. 

1877.  Michigan  Conference,  Riga,  Mich.,  April  5.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president;  F.  F.  Meyer,  secretary.  Licensed — H. 
Schneider,  H.  Schuhknecht,  G.  Wilson,  C.  Z.  Stewart  and 
F.  A.  Hamp.    Ordained  elders — J.  Miller,  D.  W.  Schafer 


408  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


and  J.  ScHMUs.  Deacons — C.  C.  Staffeld  and  J.  A.  Fry. 
Located — C.  Rohn,  J.  Borough  and  J.  Frankhauser. 

Districts:  Detroit,  E.  Weiss,  presiding  elder;  St.  Joseph,  S. 
Coply ;  Saginaw,  J.  M.  Haug. 

1877,  Iowa  Conference  met  April  5,  at  La  Porte,  la. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  T.  F.  Berner,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— D.  Rieder,  H.  Illian  and  J.  Ashenbrenner.  Or- 
dained elders — F.  Lohle,  S.  H.  White,  G.  Kohn,  A.  Houser 
and  F.  Schulsky.  Deacons — F.  Backemeier,  O.  Beck  and  J. 
Abrams.  Located — W.  Warfield.  C.  Sanders  withdrew. 
C.  A.  Mueller  took  credentials.  J.  Henn  was  re-elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts :  Dubuque,  E.  J.  Shultz ;  Ackley,  J.  Henn ;  Ne- 
braska, H.  Brauer. 

1877.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Lisbon,  Iowa,  April  12. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  E.  B.  Utt,  secretary.  Located — 
E.  E.  BoNTA  and  J.  A.  Rank.  A.  J.  Meyers  withdrew.  E.  E. 
CoNDO,  F.  J.  Strayer  and  W.  Kolb  received  credentials.  Li- 
censed— J.  H.  Kolb,  J.  M.  Johnston,  F.  Drake,  J.  Brickley, 

G.  Springer  and  A.  F.  Hahn.  N.  B.  Sherk  and  M.  L.  Cus- 
ter, of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  were  received,  as  also  S. 
Hoover,  of  another  church.  Ordained  elders — E.  B.  Utt  and 
S.  A.  Pettit.    Deacons — D.  W.  Fink  and  C.  Manwell.  D. 

H.  Kooker,  presiding  elder,  resigned,  and  E.  F.  Mell  was 
elected  in  his  place. 

Districts :  Cedar  Rapids,  C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder ; 
Des  Moines,  E.  F.  Mell. 

1877.  Minnesota  Conference,  near  New  Trier,  Minn., 
May  4.  Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president;  E.  H.  Bowman,  secre- 
tary. Located — J.  Van  Eschen.  Licensed — G.  W.  Hielscher, 
W.  Passer  and  W.  Fritz.  Ordained  elder — L.  Passer,  J.  Zim- 
merman and  F.  Moede. 

Districts  :  Winona,  A.  Strohmeier,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Paul, 
H.  E.  Linse ;  Mankato,  C.  Brill. 

1877.  Erie  Conference,  Allegheny  City,  Pa.,  March  i. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Ordained 
elders — Theo.  Suhr  and  A.  Bornheimer.  The  following  was 
adopted:  "As  the  East  Pa.  Conference  is  now  in  session 
at  Shamokin,  Pa.,  therefore.  Resolved,  That  we  send  the  follow- 
ing salutation  to  that  body  by  telegraph.'    Erie  Conference,  the 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


409 


youngest  now  in  session,  sends  greetings  to  the  East.  Pa.  Con- 
ference, the  oldest  sister,  II.  Thes.  iii.  i6. "  The  following 
response  was  received:  "The  oldest  conference  has  received 
the  greetings  of  the  youngest  with  pleasure,  and  returns  theia 
in  Scriptural  measure,  II.  Peter  i.  2." 

1877.  Atlantic  Conference,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April  5. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  J.  Koehl,  secretary.  J.  F. 
Grobe,  of  the  Illinois,  and  C.  A.  Miller,  of  the  Iowa  Confer- 
ence, were  admitted.  Deacons — M.  Stockley,  D.  Schnebel, 
andL.  Kolb.  Ordained  elder — M.  Straub.  Jesse  Yeakel,  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  conference  district. 

1877.  Kansas  Conference,  Nickel-'s  Grove  Circuit,  Kan- 
sas, March  22.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.  Berner, 
secretary.  Located — ^J.  G.  Merk.  Ordained  elders — W. 
Heiser  and  R.  Zeller.  Deacons — J.  Bower,  C.  Buchel  and 
C.  F.  Stecher. 

Districts:  Holton,  J.  Wuerth,  presiding  elder;  Missouri,  J. 
G.  Pfeiffer;  Southwest,  H.  Mattill. 

1877.  Indiana  Conference,  Buena  Vista,  Ind.,  September 
20.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  C,  C.  Baumgardner,  secre- 
tary. Licensed — I.  B.  Fisher.  Ordained  elders — J.  F.  Bork- 
MAN.  Deacons — J.  Brockert  and  G.  Roeder.  Located — L. 
W.  Dustman- 

Districts  :  Elkhart,  M.  W.  Steffy,  presiding  elder ;  Fort 
Wayne,  E.  L.  Kiplinger  ;  Indianapolis,  M.  Krueger. 

1877.  South  Indiana  Conference,  Huntingburg,  Ind. , 
September  6.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  W.  G.  Braeckly, 
secretary.  Deacon — C.  Stier.  Ordained  elder — G.  Ber- 
stecher.  Licensed — F.  Danner  and  W.  L.  Luehring.  The 
time  of  holding  the  conference  was  changed  from  September  to 
March. 

Districts  :  Olney,  J.  Fuchs,  presiding  elder  ;  Evansville,  H. 
L.  Fisher. 

1877.  Pacific  Conference,  Albany,  Ore.,  September  6. 
Bishop  J.  Bowersox,  president ;  S.  Heininger,  secretary.  A. 
W.  Bower,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  was  received. 

Appointments  :  J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder  and  mission- 
ary at  Albany ;  Corvallis,  W.  C.  Kantner ;  Buena  Vista,  J. 
Croasman  ;  Salem,  A.  W.  Bower ;  Yamhill,  S.  Heininger  ;  Port- 
land, to  be  supplied  ;  San  Francisco,  F.  W.  Voegelin. 


410  E  VANOELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANNALS. 


Note. — The  interests  of  the  church  were  well  maintained 
during  this  year.  The  Board  of  Missions  in  Racine,  Wis., 
October  12,  passed  the  following  resolution:  "Resolved,  That 
we  greatly  rejoice  that  our  missionaries  in  Japan  were  able  to 
report  in  their  first  annual  statement  to  this  board,  the  glad 
news  that  one  Japanese,  who  bids  fair  to  be  of  great  use  to  the 
Church,  has,  through  their  efforts,  been  converted,  and  that  in 
this  we  see,  with  thankfulness  to  God,  a  new  token  of  the  ap- 
probation of  the  Lord  with  regard  to  our  heathen  mission." 

Biographical. — In  October,  1877,  Father  Adam  Ettinger, 
the  oldest  surviving  minister  of  the  church,  passed  to  his  re- 
ward, at  the  age  of  almost  ninety-one  years.  J.  Conrad  Reis- 
NER  died  in  October  at  Lebanon,  in  the  eighty-second  year  of 
his  age.  He  entered  the  ministry  in  1822  and  had  the  distinc- 
tion of  being  the  first  European  German  minister  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association.  A  fuller  reference  to  these  brethren  will  be 
found  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

1878.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Reading,  Pa.,  Feb.  27.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  C.  Hornberger,  secretary.  Licensed 
— J.  Keller,  N.  A.  Barr,  J.  M.  Shopp,  D.  A.  Light,  J.  D. 
Woodring,  a.  S.  Steltz,  A.  L.  Yeakel,  C.  N.  Snyder  and  E. 
A.  Hummel.  Deacons — J.  H.  Shirev,  J.  W.  Woehrlev,  F.  E. 
ErdmaVj,  W.  Wagoner  and  W.  Minsker.  Ordained  elders — S. 
T.  Leopold,  A.  Krecker,  H.  D.  Shultz,  I.  J.  Reitz,  G.  D. 
SwiEGERT  and  A.  Dilabar.  Credentials — J.  F.  Wohlfarth,  F. 
E.  Erdman  and  E.  Leslie.  S.  Neitz  resigned  the  office  of  pre- 
siding elder  and  C.  S.  Haman  and  C.  K.  Fehr  were  re-elected 
to  the  same.  The  Board  of  Publication  having  loaned  the  pub- 
lishing house  in  Germany  the  sum  of  $10,000,  the  East  Pa.  Con- 
ference, by  resolution,  declared  this  loan  as  illegal. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  J.  O.  Lehr,  presiding  elder ;  Allen- 
town,  C.  K.  Fehr ;  Reading,  J.  M.  Saylor ;  Harrisburg,  C.  S 
Haman  ;  Pottsville,  I.  E.  Knerr. 

1878.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Glen  Rock,  Pa.,  March  7. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— E.  Crumbling,  E.  James,  J.  S.  Lowe,  E.  P.  Leonard, 
J.  Lawyer,  J.  N.  Ross  and  W.  F.  Gladfelter.  Ordained 
elders — D.  P.  Kline,  P.  F.  Jarrett,  L.  Dice.  Deacons — G. 
Joseph,  J.  Shambach,  J.  J.  Lohr,  P.  C.  Weidemever,  J.  H. 
Peters,  W.  H.  Lilly  and  A.  J.  Gramlv.  F.  C.  Pandel  was 
restored  to  his  former  relation  of  deacon.    Granted  credentials 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


411 


^H.  C.  Berger  and  R.  J.  Derrick.  J.  Archer  and  H.  H. 
Ream  withdrew. 

Districts  :  York,  S.  W.  Seibert,  presiding  elder ;  Carlisle, 
E.  Kohr ;  Lewisburg,  A.  C.  Reeser  ;  VVilliamsport,  M.  J.  Ca- 
rothers. 

1878.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Canton,  Ohio,  March  14. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  W.  M.  Stanford,  secretary.  Lo- 
cated— J.  PoRTCH  and  A.  Rearick.  Credentials — J.  A.  Dun- 
lap  and  P.  W.  Hahn.  Licensed — D.  R.  Dalzell,  T.  B.  Zel- 
lers,  J.  Myers,  C.  M.  Killhefer,  E.  F.  Dicky,  C.  Manka- 
MiER,  M.  Tichnell,  G.  W.  Finney,  W.  Evans,  W.  M.  Covert, 
and  T.  B.  Coburn.  Ordained  elders — G.  W.  White,  I.  A. 
Smith,  A.  S.  Baumgardner,  W.  A.  Reininger  and  J.  Trezise. 
Deacons — H.  Hurd.  J.  Q.  A.  Weller  was  newly  and  J.  A. 
Grimm  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Pittsburg,  G.  S.  Domer,  presiding  elder ;  Franklin, 
J.  J.  Barnhart ;  Allegheny,  J.  A.  Grimm ;  Somerset,  J.  Q.  A.  Weller. 

1878.  New  York  Conference,  Lyons,  N.  Y.,  March  14. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  M.  Pfitzinger,  secretary. 
Died — J.  Siegrist  and  J.  Luttenberger.  Licensed — H.  Kock. 
Ordained  elders — J.  Burkhart,  J.  Vossler,  H.  Newinger  and 
C.  Mowitz. 

Districts  :  Albany,  A.  Holzwarth,  presiding  elder  ;  Roches- 
ter, T.  Schneider  ;  Buffalo,  M.  Lehn. 

1878.  Canada  Conference,  Lingelbach's,  Ont.,  April  19. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— D.  Brant,  W.  Birk,  M.  Wiegand  and  J.  C.  MoR- 
LOCK.  Deacon — F.  Schwartz. 

Districts  :  Waterloo,  P.  Alles,  presiding  elder  ;  Sebringville, 
W.  Schmidt ;  Carrick,  Joseph  Umbach. 

1878.  Erie  Conference,  Huron,  Ohio,  March  7.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Licensed — G. 
GoETZ,  P.  J.  Faul  and  J.  Cordes.  Ordained  elder — V.  Brown. 
Deacons — G.  Ott  and  J.  A.  Junt.  Credentials — J.  S.  Seip 
and  J.  G.  Martin.  H.  C.  Berger,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Confer- 
ence, was  received. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  W.  W.  Orwig,  presiding  elder;  Pitts- 
burg, G.  F.  Spreng. 

1878.  Atlantic  Conference,  Easton,  Pa.,  April  4.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  J.  P.  Schwatz,  secretary.  Credentials — 
C.  A.  Miller  and  J.  P.  Schultz.    Licensed — J.  B.  De«oni. 


412 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


C.  B.  Fliehr  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Died — Adam  Et- 
TiNGER,  York,  Pa. 

Districts :  Philadelphia,  J.  Yeakel,  presiding  elder ;  New 
York,  C.  B.  Fliehr. 

1878.  Kansas  Conference,  Zion  church,  Douglass  county, 
Kansas,  March  21.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president  ;  C.  Ber- 
NER,  secretary.  F.  Schaefer,  C.  F.  Erfmeier,  P.  Shuman,  A. 
J.  VoEGELEiN  and  A.  M.  Dreisbach  were  received  on  proba- 
tion. Ordained  elders — J.  Emmel.  Deacons — C.  Waehte 
and  R.  Stahle.  H.  S.  Bower,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference, 
was  received.  Located — M.  Alsbach,  J.  Bower,  C.  Buechel 
and  W.  Folgate.    Credentials — G.  F.  Yeager. 

Districts  :  Holton,  J.  Wuerth,  presiding  elder  ;  Missouri,  J. 

G.  PfeufEer;  South  West,  H.  Mattill. 

1878.  Iowa  Conference,  Waterloo,  Iowa,  April  4.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  C.  Pfund,  secretary.  Ordained  elders — 
O.  Gerhart,  E.  Mueller,  E.  Nolte,  W.  Jonas,  H.  Butz,  F. 
A.  Frase,  F.  W.  Fisher  and  G.  Heinmiller.  Deacons — G.  G. 
Zellhoefer,  V.  Griese  A.  Fisher,  C.  Schmidt,  M.  Einhelder, 
W.  Schwerine,  J.  Ashenbrenner.  Licensed — Peter  Belzer, 
A.  Braenchle,  C.  Bockenhauer,  H.  Braun  and  R.  Schmitz. 
W.  Kolb  and  Joseph  Bussard,  of  the  Des  Moines  and  C.  A. 
Mueller,  of  the  Atlantic  Conference,  received  ;  the  latter  was 
granted  deacon's  orders.  J.  P.  Just  was  newly  and  H.  Brauer 
and  E.  J.  Shultz  were  re-elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Dubuque,  J.  Henn,  presiding  elder  ;  Ackley,  H. 
Brauer ;  Council  Bluffs  ;  E.  J.  Schultz  ;  Nebraska,  J.  P.  Just. 

1878.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Colo,  Iowa,  April  11. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  E.  B.  Utt,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  Auracher,  H.  Leiphart  and  H.  H.  Long.  Or- 
dained elders — J.  H.  Yaggy  and  A.  T.  Wilkins.    Deacons — 

H.  A.  HuMMELBACH  and  J.  C.  Burton.  Died — G.  Herring. 
Credentials — J.  Bussard,  J.  McCauley  and  H.  Holdridge. 
J.  A.  DuNLAP,  of  the  Pittsburg,  J.  A.  Hetner  and  A.  J. 
Gramlv,  of  the  Central  Pa.,  and  C.  H.  Gramly,  of  the  Illinois 
Conference,  and  H.  M.  Sexton  and  L.  Parks,  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  Church,  were  admitted.  E.  B.  Utt  was  elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Cedar  Rapids,  C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder ; 
Des  Moines,  E.  B.  Utt ;  Afton,  E.  F.  Mell. 

1878.      Illinois   Conference,    Freeport,    111.,    April  ir. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


413 


Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president ;  A.  Knoble,  German,  W.  H. 
Bucks,  English,  secretary.  Credentials — C.  H.  Gramly  and 
J.  Kurtz.  Located — A.  Rohrbach,  B.  Ruh  and  H.  Eller. 
Licensed — A.  Buende,  George  Spaeth,  C.  Frev,  George 
Franks,  J.  Wuerth,  O.  Radensky,  C.  Roloff,  C.  Shultz,  W. 
A.  Unangst,  C.  Diesmeier  and  J.  W.  Shaefele.  Ordained 
elders — W.  Caton,  C.  Danner,  H.  Eller,  A.  Strickfaden, 
A.  RiEMENSCHNEiDER,  A.  J.  CuLVER  and  G.  C.  Knobel.  Dea- 
cons— W.  Schweiker,  W.  H.  Fouke,  J.  W.  Tobias  and  H. 
Scheffner.  S.  Torry,  of  the  Baptist  Church,  was  received. 
M.  Stamm  was  newly  and  W.  Goessele  was  re-elected  presid- 
ing elder.    V.  Forkel  was  elected  collector  for  church  debts. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  presiding  elder  ;  Naper- 
ville,  M.  Stamm ;  Freeport,  D.  B.  Byers  ;  Mendota,  J.  Himmel ; 
Peoria,  W.  Goessele. 

1878.  Michigan  Conference,  Litchfield,  Mich.,  April  4. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president ;  F.  F.  Meyer,  secretary.  Lo- 
cated— J.  Young,  D.  C.  Fry,  P.  Berg  and  R.  Riegel.  Cre- 
dentials— J.  M.  Reimke.  Licensed — W.  Binder,  A.  Kuehn, 
M.  E.  Blizzard,  H.  Voelker,  J.  Schneider  and  J.  Suther- 
land; also  F.  Knopf,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
W.  White,  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  ;  also  S.  Hip- 
pard  of  the  Ohio  and  J.  Nicolai,  of  the  Illinois  Conference, 
were  admitted.  Ordained  elder — G.  A.  Hetler  and  P.  Bittner. 
Deacons — F.  Klump,  A.  Frey,  G.  Provost,  D.  C.  Fry  and  D. 
RussEL.  J.  M.  FucHS  and  J.  M.  Haug  were  elected  presiding 
elders.  Conference  organized  itself  into  a  church  building  so- 
ciety. 

Districts :  Monroe,  F.  Weiss,  presiding  elder ;  Three  Rivers, 
S.  Coply ;  Flint,  J.  M.  Haug ;  lona,  J.  M.  Fuchs. 

1878.  Ohio  Conference,  Marshallville,  April  11.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  Lerch,  secretary.  Licensed — W.  W. 
Sherrick,  C.  Waltz,  Otto  Spreng,  M.  A.  Butts,  Martin  A. 
Hildebrand  and  P.  Powell.  Ordained  elders — S.  Cocklin. 
Deacons — S.  P.  Spreng,  J.  A.  Hensel,  W.  Bates,  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  P.  W.  Hahn,  of  the  Pitts- 
burg Conference,  were  admitted.  N.  Shupp  was  again  elected 
collector  for  the  church  debts.  Located — A.  W.  Orwig  and 
G.  Balser. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  J.  W.  Walkey,  presiding  elder ;  Fre- 
mont, S.  Hoy ;  Columbus,  S.  Wittington. 


414  BVANQELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Father  H.  Niebel,  the  oldest  preacher  of  the  Church,  died. 
(See  biography). 

1878.  Indiana  Conference,  Urbana,  Ind.,  April  i8. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  C.  C.  Baumgardner,  secretary. 
Located — P.  Roth.  Licensed — A.  O.  Raber  and  W.  Pinker- 
ton.  Ordained  elders — C.  C.  Baumgardner  and  B.  F.  Dill. 
Deacon — J.  M.  Dustman. 

Districts  :  Elkhart,  M.  W.  Stefifey,  presiding  elder ;  Fort 
Wayne,  E.  L.  Kiplinger  ;  Indianapolis,  M.  Krueger. 

1878.  South  Indiana  Conference,  Carmi,  111.,  March  14. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  W.  G.  Brackley,  secretary. 
Deacon — M.  F.  Finkbeiner.  W.  L.  Luehring  was  received  in 
the  traveling  connection. 

Districts  :  Olney,  J.  Fuchs,  presiding  elder  ;  Evansville,  H. 
L.  Fisher. 

1878.  Pacific  Conference,  Salem,  Ore.,  September  15. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  S.  Heininger,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— Joseph  Taylor  and  W.  Axthelm.  Ordained  elder — 
W.  C.  Kantner.  Irvine  Robinson,  a  local  preacher  of  Wis- 
consin conference,  and  G.  C.  Barger,  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  were  received. 

J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder  of  the  Conference  District. 

1878.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Mazomaine,  Wis.,  April  25. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  A.  Tarnutzer,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— L.  E.  Emmert,  W.  Elmer,  D.  Schneider,  A.  Buch- 
oltz.  Deacons — F.  Nehs,  W.  Colander,  C.  Weigand,  C.  F. 
Reichard,  F.  Haberman  and  H.  Best.  Located — J.  Karcher- 
Died — E.  Bockemuehl,  itenerant,  and  J.  M.  Walter,  local. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee,  G.  Fritsche,  presiding  elder  ;  Madi- 
son, H.  Huelster  ;  Fond  du  Lac,  H.  Schelp  ;  Portage,  M.  Wit- 
tenweiler. 

1878.  Minnesota  Conference,  near  Morristown,  Minn., 
May  3,  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  W.  Oehler,  secretary. 
Ordained  elders — B.  Simon,  E.  R.  Koch  and  J.  Gongall. 
Deacons — H.  Ohs,  G.  Britzius,  W.  C.  Stegner,  F.  C. 
Schmidt,  G.  W.  Heilscher  and  E.  F.  Movius.  Licensed — 
J.  G.  Haller,  M.  Gagstatter  and  F.  R.  Plantikow.  Cre- 
dentials— C.  R.  Koch.  C.  Ortli,  of  the  Wisconsin  and  G. 
Spath,  of  the  Illinois  Conference  were  admitted.  A.  Stroh- 
meier  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


41» 


Districts  :  Winona,  A.  Strohmeier,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Paul^ 
H.  E.  Linse  ;  Mankato,  C.  Brill. 

1879.  East  Pa.  Conference,  AUentown,  Pa.,  February  26. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  J.  C-  Hornberger,  secretary. 
Licensed — George  Schwartz,  A.  E.  Gobble,  J.  L.  Ginther, 
J.  W.  Hoover,  H.  H.  Romberger  and  W.  H.  Reineck.  J.  S. 
McNuTT,  a  local  preacher  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
was  received.  Ordained  elders — G.  W.  Gross,  H.  J.  Glick 
and  Dr.  F.  Krecker.  Deacons — F.  Smith  and  A.  M.  Sampsel. 
Credentials — L.  Snyder,  Moses  Dissinger,  S.  B.  Brown,  W. 
H.  Bachman,  G.  W.  Moore  and  C.  W.  Snyder.  Died— S.  P. 
Reinoehl,  H.  Kempfer  and  W.  Heim,  itinerants,  and  J.  Ber- 
tolet  and  I.  Dissinger,  locals. 

Districts :  Philadelphia,  J.  O.  Lehr,  presiding  elder ;  Allen- 
town,  C.  K.  Fehr;  Reading,  J.  M.  Saylor  ;  Harrisburg,  C.  S. 
Haman;  Pottsville,  I.  E.  Knerr. 

1879.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Lewisburgh,  Pa.,  March  6. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— John  Messinger,  J.  A.  Kepner,  H.  M.  Evans,  C.  W. 
Finkbinder,  D.  M.  Baumgardner,  I.  Reynolds  and  H.  H. 
DouTY.  Ordained  elders — P.  W.  Group,  B.  F.  Keller,  B.  F. 
Anthony  and  J.  F.  Shultz.  Deacons — J.  A.  Hollenbaugh,  J.  C. 
Reeser,  G.  H.  Schleh,  C.  F.  Gephart,  J.  H.  Hertz  and  H. 
W.  Gross.  Died — George  Dellinger.  Withdrawn — B.  Mat- 
thias, S.  D.  Bennington,  S.  Wright,  F.  Passmore,  H.  Van- 
sant  and  Prof.  F.  M.  Baker.  Credentials — A.  W.  Kramer. 
B.  Hengst,  of  the  Atlantic  Conference,  was  received.  W.  E. 
Detweiler  was  newly,  and  E.  Kohr  was  re-elected  presiding 
elder. 

Districts  :  York,  M.  J.  Carothers,  presiding  elder  ;  Juniata, 
E.  Kohr ;  Lewisburg,  W.  E.  Detweiler ;  Williamsport,  A.  L. 
Reeser. 

1879.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Salisbury,  Pa.,  March  13. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  W.  M.  Stanford,  secretary. 
Withdrew — J.  H.  Bates,  I.  Moore  and  J.  Myers.  Licensed — 
D.  J.  Hershberger  and  J.  Wagoner.  J.  A.  Yunt,  of  the  Erie 
Conference,  was  admitted.  A.  Rearick  and  J.  Q.  A.  Weller 
were  deposed  from  the  ministry.  Died — Adam  Klinefelter 
and  P.  S.  Feil.  Credentials — F.  Bone.  Ordained  elders — 
J.  Smith,  R.  P.  Vanmeter.    Deacons — J,  W.  Domer,  F.  J. 


416  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Strayer,  E.  C.  Martin,  J.  T.  Bowles,  A.  M.  Bowhn  and  C. 
Dehaven. 

Districts  :  Pittsburg,  G.  S.  Domer,  presiding  elder ;  Frank- 
lin, J.  J.  Bemhart ;  Johnstown,  J.  A.  Grimm. 

1879.  New  York  Conference,  Liverpool,  N.  Y.,  March  13. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  M.  Pfitzinger,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— H.  W.Schneider,  P.  Bahn,  G.  Schneider  and  R.  W. 
ZiEHM.    Ordained  deacon — P.  Spath. 

Districts  :  Albany,  A.  Holzwarth,  presiding  elder ;  Roches- 
ter, M.  Lehnj  Buffalo,  T.  Schneider. 

1879.  Canada  Conference,  Berlin,  Ont.,  April  17.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president;  C.  A.  Thomas,  secretary.  Ordained 
Elders — J.  J.  Klipphart,  J.  A.  Schmidt,  F.  Haist.  Deacons — 
H.  A.  Thomas,  D.  Kreh,  D.  Reider.  Licensed — S.  Graep,  J. 
Baechtel  and  G.  Braun. 

Districts  :  Waterloo,  P.  Alles,  presiding  elder  ;  Sebringville, 
Joseph  Umbach  ;  Carrick,  C.  A.  Thomas. 

1879.  Ohio  Conference,  Lindsey,  Ohio,  April  17,  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  A.  Vandersall,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  Wengerd,  E.  Shoemaker  and  L.  Sweetland.    J.  Lerch, 

D.  H.  Wonder,  G.  W.  Ellenberger  and  A.  Loehner  were 
granted  a  supernumerary  relation.  W.  Horn  and  J.  E.  Stewart 
took  letters  of  dismissal.  Ordained  elders — W.  A.  Shisler  and 
J.  A.  Burkett.  Deacons — J.  O.  Stoll,  H.  B.  Davis,  M.  B. 
Mohn,  W.  F.  McWilliams  and  D.  C.  Eckerman.  F.  Bone,  of 
the  Pittsburg,  and  F.  Zeller,  of  the  Michigan  Conference, 
were  admitted.    J.  Stull  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  J.  Stull,  presiding  elder ;  Fremont,  S. 
Hoy  ;  Columbus,  W.  Wittington. 

1879.  Illinois  Conference,  Geneseo,  April  10.  Bishop  T. 
Bowman,  president ;  E.  Von  Freeden  and  W.  Caton,  secretaries. 
Credentials — J.  H.  Tobias,  H.  F.  Kletzing  and  G.  C.  Knobel. 
Licensed — H.  B.  Grumbine,  J.  Stone,  J.  Hamilton,  T.  Murry, 

E.  Held,  T.  W.  Woodside,  H.  Arlen,  C.  Nauman,  A.  Haefele, 
W.  Grobe,  G.  Zoller  and  C.  Paeth,  also  G.  A.  Kearney,  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Ordained  elders — J.  B. 
Elfring,  W.  C.  Frve  and  W.  Shuster.  Deacons — S.  A. 
Miller,  J.  J.  Elftman,  A.  Egle,  W.  Gross  and  J.  J.  Lintner. 
Died — A.  Davis,  J.  K.  Lutz  and  C.  Ebinger. 

Districts:  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  presiding  elder;  Naper- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


417 


ville,  M.  Stamm  ;  Freeport,  D.  Byers  ;  Mendota,  J.  Himmel; 
Peoria,  W.  Goessele. 

1879.  Erie  Conference,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  March  6. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Ordained 
elder — H.  C.  Berger.  C.  Waltz  and  H.  Cordes  were  received 
into  the  itinerancy.    Credentials — J.  A.  Junt  and  C.  Kuenzeli. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  W.  W.  Orwig,  presiding  elder  ;  Pitts- 
burg, G.  F.  Spreng. 

1879.  Atlantic  Conference,  York,  Pa.,  April  3.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president .  J.  P.  Schnatz,  secretary.    Credentials — 

B.  Hengst.  C.  Heinrich  and  C.  Brev  were  received  on  pro- 
bation. Ordained  elder — D.  Schnebel.  Deacon — C.  Phillip- 
bar.    R.  Deisher  located. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  J.  Yeakel,  presiding  elder ;  New  York, 

C.  B.  Fliehr. 

1879.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  presi- 
dent ;  A.  Tarnuntzer,  secretary.  Died — F.  J.  Schirmeier. 
Licensed — J.  Schneller,  A.  Heinhouse  and  J.  A.  Stewart. 
Ordained  elders — J.  W.  Henneman,  F.  Illian,  F.  Homuth  and 
C.  KuNST.  Deacons — H.  Kiekhoefer,  M.  Muehl,  G.  Fred- 
erick and  W.  Detert.  J.  U.  Elmer  located.  H.  ScHELPwas 
reelected  and  C.  F.  Finger,  A.  Tarnutzer  and  L.  Buehler 
were  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

District  :  Milwaukee,  L.  Buehler,  presiding  elder  ;  Madison, 
H.  Schelp ;  Fond  du  Lac,  C.  F.  Finger  ;  Portage,  A.  Tarnutzer. 

1879.  South  Indiana  Conference,  Mt.  Tabor,  Ind., 
March  20.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  G.  W.  Brackley, 
secretary.  Ordained  elders — J.  Mode  and  N.  J.  Platz.  H.  C. 
Fisher  and  J.  Fuchs  were  re-elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Olney,  H.  L.  Fisher,  presiding  elder  ;  Evansville, 
J.  Fuchs. 

1879.  Indiana  Conference,  Bremen,  Ind.,  April  17. 
Bishop  R.  Yeakel,  president;  C.  C.  Baumgardnrr  and  D.  S. 
Oakes  secretaries.  Died — A.  Hartzler,  itinerant,  and  J.  Car- 
stetter  and  J.  Kiplinger,  locals.  D.  J.  Pontius,  G.  W.  Free- 
hafer  and  J.  F.  Bockman  located.  H.  Funk  and  J.  Loop, 
locals,  withdrew.  Licensed — J.  E.  Myers,  G.  W.  Bryson,  D. 
Black  and  L.  Stock.  Ordained  elders — J.  Bruckert,  and  G. 
Roeder.  Deacons — A.  Iwan,  J.  B.  Fisher,  H.  Prechtel  and 
J.  Huntzinger.    M.  Krueger  was  re-elected  and  C.  C.  Baum- 


418  EVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANl^ALiS. 


GARDNER  was  ncwly  elected  presiding  elder.  Credentials — D.  J. 
Pontius  and  E.  D.  Einsel. 

Districts  :  Elkhart,  E.  L.  Kiplinger  ;  Ft.  Wayne,  M.  Krue- 
ger  ;  Indianapolis,  C.  C.  Baumgardner. 

1879.  Iowa  Conference,  Ackley,  Iowa,  April  3.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president  ;  C.  C.  Pfund,  secretary,  Licensed — 
C.  Brenner  and  J.  Herrman.  Credentials — W.  F.  Fisher,  F. 
Methfessel  and  D.  Rieder.     Ordained  elders — J.  Abrams, 

F.  Backemeyer,  E.  O.  Beck.  Deacons — H.  Hibenthal  and 
H.  Illian. 

Districts  :  Dubuque,  J.  Henn,  presiding  elder ;  Ackley,  H. 
Brauer;  Council  Bluffs,  E.  J.  Shultz. 

1879.  Des  Moines,  Af ton,  Iowa,  April  10.  Bishop  R.  DUBS, 
president;  W.  J.  Hahn,  secretary.  Licensed — S.  Kern,  H. 
Grumbine,  p.  Gressly,  H.  Kinly,  S.  Krell  and  J.  Halder- 
MAN.  Ordained  elders — D.  W.  Fink,  S.  Hoover,  M.  L.  Custer, 
and  C.  Manwell.  Deacons — J.  E.  Staufacher,  J.  Auracher, 
J.  M.  Johnson  and  A.  Y.  Cupp.  Credentials — J.  H.  Kiplinger 
and  A.  Driesbach,  of  the  Kansas,  R.  J.  Derrick  and  G.  F. 
Yeager,  of  the  Central  Pa.,  W.  Coon,  D.  Ellenberger  and 
H.  F.  Kletzing,  of  the  Illinois,  B.  C.  Oyler  and  J.  Strome, 
of  the  Ohio,  and  E.  D.  Einsel,  of  the  Indiana  Conference. 
Died— J.  H.  Gulp. 

Districts  :  Cedar  Rapids,  C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder  ; 
Dcs  Moines,  E.  B.  Utt  ;  Afton,  E.  F.  Mell. 

1879.  Kansas  Conference,  near  Rulo,  Neb.,  March  20. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— .\.  YoDER,  W.  Descher,  L.  C.  Schnake,  H.  Lindner. 
Deacons — J.  Dreisbach,  C.  Geiser,  H.  Todeman,  D.  Honsted 
and  H.  Lindner.  D.  Woder  located.  L.  Wenger  was  elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Holton,  J.  Wuerth,  presiding  elder  ;  Missonri,  J. 

G.  Pfeuffer  ;  South  West,  L.  Wenger. 

1879.  Michigan  Conference,  Park,  Mich.,  April  3.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  F.  F.  Meyer,  secretary.  F.  S.  Root, 
withdrew.  F.  Zeller  and  J.  T.  Gingrich  located.  Creden- 
tials— P.  Bittner.  Licensed — A.  Scheuer,  Q.  Walker,  W.  F. 
Zander  and  T-  A.  Lawrence.  Ordained  elders — J.  A.  Frye, 
W.  Simmons  and  C.  C.  Staffeld..  Deacons — H.  Schneider 
and  F.  C.  Walker,  C.  G.  Koch,  of  the  Ohio  and  S.  Heininger, 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


419 


of  the  Pacific  Conference,  were  received.  S.  Copley  was  re- 
elected and  J.  Frankhouser  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Monroe,  S.  Coply,  presiding  elder  ;  Three  Rivers, 
J.  Frankhouser  ;  Flint,  J.  M.  Haug  ;  lona,  J.  Fuchs. 

1879.  Minnesota  Conference,  Quincy,  Minn.,  May  2. 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president,  W.  Oehler,  secretary.  Deacons — F. 
R.  Plantikow,  W.  Fritz,  W.  Passer  and  M.  Redman.  The 
Conference  was  re-districted  and  the  districts  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
apolis, St.  Peter's  and  South.  W.  Stegner  was  newly  and  C. 
Brill  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  St.  Paul,  H.  E.  Linse,  presiding  elder;  Minne- 
apolis, C.  Brill  ;  St.  Peters,  A.  Strohmeyer ;  South,  W.  Stegner. 

1879.  Pacific  Conference,  Corvallis,  Ore.,  June  5. 
Bishop  J.  Bowersox,  president ;  W.  C.  Kantner,  secretary. 
Licensed — J.  L.  Hershner  and  G.  Ketterman.  Credentials — 
S.  Heininger.  a.  W.  Bower  withdrew.  California  district 
was  formed  and  F.  W.  Voegelein  was  elected  presiding  elder. 
A.  Krecker,  of  the  East  Pa.,  J.  C.  Emmel,  of  the  Kansas  Con- 
ference, and  F,  W,  Fisher  were  received  into  the  conference. 

Districts  :  Oregon,  J,  Bowersox,  presiding  elder  ;  California, 
F.  W.  Voegelein. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


Seventeenth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Noble  Street 
Church,  Chicago,  III.,  Oct.  2-20. 

1879,  General  Conference,  seventeenth  session,  Noble 
Street  Church,  Chicago,  111.,  Oct.  2-20.  Presiding  Bishops  : 
J.  J.  EsHER,  R.  Yeakel,  R.  Dubs  and  T.  Bowman.  Bishop 
Dubs  delivered  the  opening  address.  C.  A.  Thomas  was  ap- 
pointed secretary.  His  assistants  were  J.  C.  Hornberger,  M. 
Stamm,  M.  Pfitzinger,  S.  Smith  and  C.  W.  Anthony. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Freund,  the  fraternal  delegate  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  addressed  the  conference,  as  also  Bishop 
Merrill,  of  the  same  church. 

On  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  sessions  memorial  services  were 
held  in  respect  to  W.  F.  Schneider,  Publisher,  C.  A.  Schnake 
and  S.  G.  Rhoads,  members  of  the  last  General  Conference 
who  died  during  the  quadrennium. 

The  General  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 
having  arranged  for  the  holding  of  a  Ecumenical  Council  of  all 
Methodistic  bodies,  and  an  invitation  having  been  sent  to  this 
General  Conference  to  send  representatives  from  the  Evangelical 
Association,  the  matter  was  referred  to  a  committee,  who  later 
substituted  the  following,  which  was  adopted. 

'^Resolved,  That  we  duly  appreciate  and  most  heartily  re- 
ciprocate the  fraternal  spirit  which  prompted,  and  which  per- 
vades said  invitaton  to  participate  in  the  deliberations  of  said 
conference. 

2.  That,  although  we  are  not  a  Methodist  body,  but  yet  are 
closely  allied  to  Methodism,  in  doctrine  and  practice,  we  here- 
with accept  the  invitation  and  make  arrangements  to  be  properly 
represented  at  said  conference. 


GONFERENVE  RECORDS. 


421 


3.  That  the  Committee  of  Ways  and  Means  make  necessary 
arrangements  to  have  our  Church  properly  represented  at  the 
Ecumenical  Conference." 

Delegates  :  Bishop  R.  Dubs  and  D.  B.  Byers  were  ap- 
pointed to  represent  the  church  at  the  Ecumenical  Conference 
of  Methodism,  J.  C.  Hornbkrger  was  appointed  as  fraternal 
delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  the  United  Brethren,  and 
E.  C.  KiPLiNGER  to  that  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

The  following  were  some  of  the  more  important  recom- 
mendations of  the  General  Conference  to  the  annual  confer- 
ences for  adoption,  as  submitted  by  committees  : 

"The  bishops  of  our  church  shall  be  permitted  to  take  part 
in  the  deliberations  of  the  General  Conference  when  they  do 
not  occupy  the  chair,  but  shall  not  have  the  right  to  vote. 

"The  senior  book-agent,  the  editors  and  the  corresponding 
secretary  of  the  missionary  society,  who  are  at  present  members 
of  the  General  Conference  by  virtue  of  office,  shall  have  the 
privilege  of  choosing  the  annual  conference  of  which  they  desire 
to  be  members,  and  such  as  may  be  elected,  whose  conference 
relations  have  not  been  changed,  shall  have  the  right  to  retain 
their  membership  in  their  respective  conferences,  and  thus  the 
ex-offieio  membership  of  this  body  of  all  the  officers  of  our  church 
shall  cease." 

"Whereas,  The  need  of  a  more  appropriate  English  render- 
ing of  our  original  church  name  among  our  English-speaking 
people,  has  been  felt  for  many  years,  and  is  becoming  more 
and  more  urgent,  so  that  there  seems  to  be  a  very  general  desire 
apparent  in  favor  of  a  change,  and. 

Whereas,  We  believe  that  the  time  has  come  when  some- 
thing ought  to  be  done  iu  the  matter,  inasmuch  as  we  are  not 
merely  an  "association,"  but  a  church;  therefore, 

Resolved,  i.  That  the  English  rendering  or  translation  of  our 
original  name  "  Evangelische  Gemeinschaft,"  shall  in  the  future 
be  "Evangelical  Church  of  North  America,"  instead  of  Evan- 
gelical Association  of  North  America. 

2.  That,  a  committee  of  four  be  appointed  to  consult  with  a 
competent  jurist,  and  see  to  it  that  the  necessary  measures  are 
executed  to  legalize  the  change,  and  that  we  suggest  as  such  a 
committee,  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  W.  Yost,  H.  B.  Hartzler  and 
M.  Lauer. 

The  Board  of  Publication  was  excused  for  not  publishing 


422 


EVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


the  Evangelical  Hymn  Book  with  notes,  as  ordered  by  the  last 
General  Conference,  but  ordered  that  its  publicaton  shall  not  be 
longer  delayed.  The  last  General  Conference  having  offered  a 
premium  of  $i,ooo  for  a  manuscript  of  systematic  theology,  and 
no  one  having  availed  himself  of  the  inducement,  the  conference 
continued  the  offer. 

It  was  resolved  that  two  instead  of  one  book  agent  shall  be 
elected,  to  have  equal  power,  rights  and  perogatives,  and  be 
equally  responsible  for  the  managment  of  the  establishment. 
The  agent  first  elected  shall  be  the  senior,  and  an  ex-officio  mem- 
ber of  the  General  Conference. 

Permission  was  given  the  Minnesota,  Kansas  and  Germany 
Conferences  to  divide  their  conferences  during  the  coming 
quadrennium,  with  the  consent  of  the  Board  of  Bishops.  The 
Des  Moines  Conference  was  granted  the  same  privilege,  on  the 
same  conditions,  for  the  formation  of  the  Platte  River  and 
Nebraska  Conferences,  provided  two-thirds  of  the  members  of 
conference  shall  agree  to  such  a  division. 

Salaries,  house  rent  included,  were  fixed  as  follows  :  Bishop's, 
^1,500;  book  agents,  $1,400;  editor's,  $1,400;  assistant  edi- 
tor's, $1,000. 

The  following  officials  were  elected  for  the  quadrennium  : 
Bishops,  J.  J.  EsHER,  R.  Dubs  and  T.  Bowman  ;  Book  Agents, 
M.  Lauer  and  W.  Yost  ;  editor  of  the  Chris tliche  Botschafter, 
W.  Horn  ;  editor  of  Evangelical  Messenger,  H.  B.  Hartzler  ; 
editor  of  Evangelical  Magazine  and  German  Sunday- School 
literature,  C.  A.  Thomas  ;  editor  of  the  Living  Epistle ;  S.  L. 
WiEST,  Superiendent  of  Orphan  Home;  Jacob  Dreisbach,  Gen- 
eral Book  Agent  for  the  Germany  Publishing  House  ;  J.  Waltz, 
editor  of  Evangelische  Botschafter  and  Sunday-School  Literature, 
G.  Fuessele. 

Delegates — East  Pa.  Conference. — C.  S.  Haman,  J.  O.  Lehr, 
J.  C.  Hornberger,  I.  E.  Knerr.  C.  K.  Fehr,  B.  F.  Bohner,  S. 
Nietz,  J.  M.  Saylor. 

Central  Pa.  Conference. — M.  J.  Carothers,  C.  F.  Deininger, 
W.  E.  Detweiler,  E.  Kohr,  A.  L.  Reeser,  S.  Smith,  S.  W.  Sei- 
bert. 

Pittsburg  Conference. — G.  S.  Domer,  J.  J.  Barnhart,  J.  D. 
Domer,  G.  W.  Brown,*  J.  A.  (Jrimm. 


♦Alternates. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


423 


JVew  York  Conference. — M.  Pfitzinger,  M.  Lehn,  T.  Schnei- 
der. * 

Kansas  Conference. — J.  Wuerth,  H.  Mattill,  L.  Wenger  C. 
Berner.  * 

Erie  Conference. — W.  W.  Orwig,  G.  F.  Spreng. 
South  Indiana  Conference. — J.  Fuchs,  J.  Kauffman.  * 
Atlantic  Conference. — J.  Yeakel,  F.  Kurtz. 
Iowa  Conference- — J.  Henn,  H.  Brauer,  E.  J.  Schultz. 
Des  Moines  Conference. — D.  H.  Kooker,  C.  W.  Anthony, 
E.  B.  Utt,  E.  F.  Mell. 

Nebraska  Conference. — J.  P.  Just. 

Ohio  Conference. — S.  Hoy,  J.  Lerch,  D.  Strohman,  J.  StoU, 
W.  Wittington,  J.  W.  Walkey. 

Illinois  Conference. — J.  Schneider,  W.  Goessele,  H.  Rohland, 
D.  B.  Byers,  M.  Staram,  C.  Lindeman,  J.  Himmel,  S.  Dickover. 

Indiana  Conference. — E.  L.  Kiplinger,  M.  W.  Steffy,  M. 
Krueger. 

Michigan  Conference. — S.  Coply,  J.  M.  Fuchs,  J.  M.  Haug, 
C.  Ude,*  J.  Frankhauser. 

Canada  Conference. — J.  Umbach,  C.  A.  Thomas,  S.  N. 
Moyer.  * 

Wisconsin  Conference. — L.  Buehler,  A.  Tarnutzer,  H.  Schelp, 
P.  Speich,  C.  F.  Finger. 

Minnesota  Conference. — C.  Brill,  W.  L.  Stegner,  A.  Stroh- 
meyer. 

Pacific  Conference. — J.  Bowersox. 
German  Conference. — J.  Kaechle. 
Switzerland  Conference. — H.  Guelich. 

Ex-officio. — M.  Lauer,  W.  Yost,  Jacob  Hartzler,  W.  Horn, 
H.  J.  Bowman. 

Among  the  recommendations  of  General  Conference  to  the 
annual  conferences  for  adoption  were  two  of  vital  interest, 
namely,  the  repeal  of  ex-officio  representation  in  the  General 
Conference,  and  the  change  of  our  Church  name,  and  an  ex- 
traordinary degree  of  interest  was  manifested  throughout  the 
entire  church  in  the  final  outcome.  In  regard  to  the  recom- 
mendation to  abolish  ex-officio  representation  (see  General  Con- 
ference of  1867).  The  conference  very  strenuously  held  that 
the  tendency  of  ex-officio  representation  was  to  centralize  power 


'Alternates. 


424 


EVANOELTOAL  ASSOCIATION  AJVNALS. 


in  the  hands  of  the  church  officials,  and  hence  a  menace  to  the 
polity  of  the  church.  Although  the  opposition  to  this  measure 
was  not  very  serious  when  first  introduced  as  a  recommendation 
to  the  annual  conferences,  when,  however,  the  system  was 
finally  adopted,  and  it  was  soon  regarded  as  a  dangerous 
menace,  and  many  of  the  leading  men  of  the  church,  especially 
of  the  East,  were  anxious  for  its  abolition.  S.  Neitz,  of  the 
East  Pa  conference,  who  had  opposed  it  from  the  beginning, 
brought  the  matter  before  the  General  Conference.  The  vote 
of  the  annual  conferences  on  its  repeal  resulted  adversely  by  a 
very  narrow  margin,  the  Central  Pa.  Conference  voting  unan- 
imously for  its  repeal  and  the  East  Pa.  and  Pittsburg  Confer- 
ences nearly  so.  The  recommendation  to  alter  our  Church  name 
also  failed  to  receive  the  sanction  of  a  majority. 

1880.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Weissport,  Pa.,  February  26. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  J.  C.  Hornberger,  secretary. 
Licensed — J.  C.  Krause,  H.  M.  Capp,  A.  M.  Hartman,  W.  H. 
Stauffer,  F.  G.  Stauffer,  W.  F.  Heil,  and  J.  Weidel.  Or- 
dained elders — J.  W.  Woehrle,  and  J.  H.  Shirev.  Deacons — 
N.  A.  Barr  and  J.  R.  Hensvl.  Credentials — T.  G.  Clelwell 
and  G.  C.  Knobel,  also  H.  S.  Clemens,  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.    Died — G.  T.  Haines  and  S.  Graumer. 

Districts  :  Allentown,  C.  K.  Fehr ;  Philadelphia,  J.  C.  Horn- 
berger, ;  Reading,  I.  E.  Knerr  ;  Harrisburg,  C.  S.  Haman  ; 
Pottsville,  J.  O.  Lehr. 

1880.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Berwick,  Pa.,  March  4. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president,  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  E.  Britcher,  C.  H.  Goodling,  J.  R.  Sechrist,  H. 
H.  Brenneman,  W.  J.  Davis,  L  C.  Yeakel,  M.  F.  Fosselman, 
H.  T.  Searl,  E.  Dietrick,  H.  Price  and  J.  M.  Dick.  E.  W. 
Koontz,  of  the  United  Brethren,  and  J.  D.  Kneislev,  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  were  received.  Ordained  elders — 
J.  Shambach,  J.  J.  LoHR,  W.  H.  Lilly,  G.  Joseph,  P.  C. 
Weidemeyer  and  J.  H.  Peters.  Deacons — E.  P.  Leonard, 
H.  H.  DouTY,  E.  Crumbling,  B.  Garrison,  and  D.  Shoe- 
maker. J.  G.  M.  Swengel  located.  Died — R.  C.  Bowersox. 
Credentials — John  Kreamer  and  D.  S.  Lepley.  U.  F.  Swen- 
gel was  newly  elected  and  A.  L.  Reeser  re-elected  presiding 
elder.  Jacob  Hartzler,  superintendent  of  Japan  mission,  was 
enrolled  as  a  member  of  conference. 

Districts  :  Yoik,  E.  Kohr,  presiding  elder  ;  Juniata,  U.  F. 


VONFBRENCE  RECORDS. 


Swengel  ;  Lewisburg,  W.  E.  Detweiler  ;  Williamsport,  A.  L.. 
Reeser. 

1880.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  March  i8. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  W.  M.  Stanford,  secretary. 
Licensed — F.  P.  Hummel,  C.  C.  Poling,  N.  W.  Bloom,  W.  F. 
Shannon,  D.  F.  Platt,  G.  W.  Weaver,  F.  P.  Ellenberger, 

A.  J.  Bird  and  J.  Fichtner.  Ordained  elder — H.  H.  Hurd. 
Deacon — W.  M.  Covert.  D.  Savlor  was  restored  to  his  former- 
relation.  E.C.  Martin  located.   Credentials — G.W.  Brown,  E. 

B.  Arthur,  J.  J.  Bernhart  and  J.  Trezise.  F.  W.  Barlett,  of 
the  M.  E.  Church,  was  admitted.  J.  D.  Domer,  D.  S.  Poling 
and  L.  M.  Boyer  were  elected  to  the  office  of  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Pittsburg,  J.  A.  Grimm,  presiding  elder  ;  Frank- 
lin, D.  S.  Poling  ;  Allegheny,  J.  D.  Domer ;  Somerset,  L.  M^ 
Boyer. 

1880.  Ohio  Conference,  Lancaster,  Ohio,  March  ii. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  A.  Vandersall,  secretary- 
Licensed — C.  H.  Dreisbach,  J.  Keiser,  J.  Kanaga,  J.  H. 
VouGHT  and  S.  A.  McBride.  Ordained  elder — S.  P.  Spreng. 
and  J.  A.  Hensel.  Deacons — S.  J.  Gamertsfelder,  E.  Evans,. 
W.  W.  Sherrick,  C.  L.  Crowther,  Otto  Spreng,  J.  J.  Nona- 
maker  and  W.  Bates.  G,  H.  Schneider,  of  the  New  York 
Conference,  was  received. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  S.  Hoy,  presiding  elder ;  Fremont,. 
J.  StoU  ;  Columbus,  W.  Whittington. 

1880.  Erie  Conference,  Erie,  Pa.,  March  4.  Bishop  R.. 
Dubs,  president ;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Licensed — H.  Hue- 
bner  and  Charles  Suhr.  Ordained  elder — G.  Ott.  Deacons — 
H.  Cordes  and  G.  Waltz.  Credentials — H.  C.  Berger.  J.  J. 
Bernhart,  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference,  was  received,  also  L. 
Pfeifer,  of  the  Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America.  C.  F. 
Negle  and  J.  G.  Theuer  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  J.  G.  Theuer,  presiding  elder  ;  Pitts- 
burg, C.  F.  Negle. 

1880.  Atlantic  Conference,  Baltimore,  Md.,  April  i. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  F.  Kurtz,  secretary.  A.  Straue 
located.  Died — A.  Hinkle.  Deacons — A.  Steltz  and  J. 
Keller.    J.  Yeakel  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  J.  Yeakel,  presiding  elder  ;  West: 
Jersey,  C.  B.  Fliehr. 


426  EVANOELWAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1880.  New  York  Conference,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  March  4. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president  ;  M.  Pfitzinger,  secretary. 
Credentials — G.  H.  Schneider. — Deacons — P.  Bohn,  H.  Koch. 
Ordained  elder — J.  Eberling.  Licensed — D.  Miller  and  C. 
Hardel.    D.  Fisher  located. 

Districts  :  Albany,  A.  Holzwarth,  presiding  elder  ;  Roches- 
ter, M.  Lehn  ;  Buffalo,  M.  Pfitzinger. 

1880.  Canada  Conference,  Mildmay,  Ont.,  April  15. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  C.  F.  Braun,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— S.  Kraft  and  L.  Wittich.  Deacons — C.  Staebler, 
M.  L.  Wing,  D.  Brand  and  J.  C.  Morelock.  C.  Steuer- 
nagel  located.  C.  A.  Spies  was  elected  presiding  elder.  D. 
Kreh  went  as  missionary  to  Texas. 

Districts  :  Waterloo,  P.  AUes,  presiding  elder  ;  Sebringville, 
J.  Umbach  ;  Carrick,  C.  A.  Spies. 

1880.  Kansas  Conference,  Platte  River  Circuit,  March  18. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — 
G.  E.  Dienst,  M.  F.  Shupe  and  E.  Bruner.  C.  Emmil  and 
J.  Bowers  located.  Ordained  elder — C.  Waehlte.  Deacons — 
C.  F.  Erffmeyer,  a.  J.  VoEGELEiN,  P.  Shuman,  S.  H.  Dun- 
kelberger  and  C.  Brant.  Moses  Dissinger  and  C.  W.  Sny- 
der, of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  A.  W.  Kramer,  of  the  Central 
Pa.  Conference,  and  S.  H.  Dunkelberger  and  J.  H.  Tobias 
were  received  into  the  itinerancy.  Credentials — S.  O.  Mussel- 
man  and  J.  F.  Wohlfarth. 

Districts  :  Holton,  J.  Wuerth,  presiding  elder  ;  Missouri,  J. 
G.  Pfeuffer  ;  South  West,  L.  Wenger. 

1880.  Nebraska  Conference,  near  Louisville,  Neb.,  March 
25.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president  ;  A.  Fisher,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— H.  Sohl  and  G.  Altstadt.  Ordained  elders — A. 
Fisher,  M.  Einhelder  and  W.  F.  Schwerin.  Deacon — A. 
Brauchle.  Credentials — L.  Keep.  A.  Haas,  of  the  Wisconsin 
Conference,  was  admitted. 

J.  P.  Yust  presiding  elder  of  conference  district. 

1880.  Iowa  Conference,  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa,  April  i. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  Y.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  W.  Epley,  H.  Raecker  and  F.  Tostlebe.  Ordained  elders — 
C.  A.  Mueller,  V.  Griese,  J.  J.  Ashenbrenner  and  C. 
Schmidt.  Deacons — J.  M.  Zellhoefer,  P.  Belzer  and  G.  D. 
Flegler.    Credentials — G.  Heinmiller. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


437 


Districts  :  Dubuque,  J.  Henn,  presiding  elder  ;  Ackley,  H. 
Brauer  ;  Des  Moines,  E.  J.  Shultz. 

1880.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Grandview,  Iowa,  April  8. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  H.  Yaggy,  secretary.  J.  H. 
KiPLiNGER  and  A.  C.  Hackathorn  located.  Ordained  elders — 
A.  J.  Gramley.  Deacons — H.  H.  Long  and  T.  J.  Fink.  E.  B. 
Utt  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  J.  H.  Kooker 
was  newly  and  C.  W.  Anthony  was  re-elected  to  the  same. 

Districts  :  Afton,  E.  F.  Mell,  presiding  elder  ;  Cedar  Rapids, 
D.  H.  Kooker  ;  C.  W.  Anthony,  Nebraska. 

1880.  Minnesota  Conference,  Racine,  Minn.,  May  7. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  H.  Bunse,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— G.  HussER,  G.  DuEBENDORF  and  W.  Blanchard.  Dea- 
cons— J.  G.  Haller,  G.  Spaeth  and  M.  Gagstetter.  Or- 
dained elders — G.  W.  Heilscher,  H.  Ohs,  G.  Britzius,  F. 
Smith  and  E.  Movius.  Died — G.  Von  Eschen.  A.  Huel- 
ster,  of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  was  received.  H.  Bunse 
was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  St.  Paul,  H.  Bunse,  presiding  elder ;  Minneapolis, 
C.  Brill ;  St.  Peter,  A.  Strohmeyer  ;  Mankato,  W.  Stegner. 

1880.  Illinois  Conference,  Naperville,  111.,  April  8. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  A.  Fuessele,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  G.  Ziegler,  J.  S.  Reinhart,  J.  Buck,  L.  Becher, 
C.  Apel,  L.  Schaefele,  T.  Shaible  and  J.  C.  Sills.  Ordained 
elders — W.  Schweiker  and  W.  H.  Fouke.  Deacons — C. 
RoLOFF,  J.  K.  Shultz,  J.  W.  Schaefele,  O.  Radinsky,  C.  S. 
Fehr  and  Prof.  H.  H.  Rassweiler.  T.  Hamilton  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  received.  Died — S.  A. 
Tobias.    A.  Knobel  and  I.  Kuter  located. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  W.  Goessele,  presiding  elder ;  Naper- 
ville, M.  Stamm  ;  Freeport,  H.  Messner  ;  Mendota,  J.  Schnei- 
der ;  Peona,  G.  Vetter. 

1880.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Fon  du  Lac,  Wis.,  April  22. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  F.  Huelster,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— W.  Messersmith,  G.  Keller  and  G.  Reicherd. 
Deacon — L.  F.  Emmert.  Ordained  elders — W.  Kolander,  F. 
A.  Haberman,  H.  Best,  C.  F.  Reicherd,  C.  Weigand  and  F. 
L.  Nehs.    Credentials — A.  Huelster  and  A.  Haas. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee,  L.  Buehler,  presiding  elder  ;  Madi- 
son, H.  Schelp  ;  Fond  du  Lac,  C.  F.  Finger ;  Portage,  A.  Tar- 
nutzer. 


428  EVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1880.  South  Indiana  Conference,  Louisville,  Ky.,  March 
II.  Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  W.  J.  Braeckly,  secre- 
tary. Licensed — F.  Theis  and  G.  Halwachs.  Ordained 
elder — C.  Stier.     Deacons — W.  L.  Luehring  and  E.  Bohlan- 

DER. 

Districts  :  Evansville,  J.  Fuchs,  presiding  elder  ;  Olney,  H. 
L.  Fisher. 

1880.  Indiana  Conference,  April  i.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher, 
president ;  D.  S.  Oakes,  secretary.  Ordained  elders — J.  M. 
Dustman.  Deacons — A.  O.  Raber,  W.  Ackerman  and  J. 
Fritz.  Licensed — J.  E.  Smith.  D.  Martz,  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  and  I.  W.  Kemm  erling,  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church,  were  admitted.  E.  T.  Hochstedler  located.  J.  M. 
Gomer,  missionary  to  Texas,  was  retained  in  the  conference. 

F.  F.  Meyer,  of  the  Michigan  Conference,  was  received.  E.  L. 
Kipling  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Elkhart,  E.  L.  Kiplinger,  presiding  elder  ;  Fort 
Wayne,  M.  Krueger,  Indianapolis,  C.  C.  Baumgardner. 

1880.  Michigan  Conference,  East  Rasinville,  Mich., 
April  8.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  F.  F.  Meyer,  secre- 
tary. J.  Schmaus,  F.  Dietrich,  F.  Walter  and  O.  Ragatz 
located.  H.  C.  Berger,  of  the  Erie,  and  E,  B.  Arthur,  of 
the  Pittsburg  Conferences,  were  admitted.  Licensed — W.  A. 
Kohler,  W,  H.  Wagoner  and  N.  Wunderlich.  Deacons — 
W.  F.  Binder,  W.  F.  Zander  and  H.  Voelker.  Ordained 
elders — F.  Klump,  A.  Fry,  F.  E.  Ereman  and  G.  Provost. 
Credentials — P.  Bittner  and  F.  F.  Meyer.  J.  Frankhouser 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Monroe,  L.  Coply,  presiding  elder  ;  Flint,  J.  M. 
Haugh  ;  lona,  J.  M.  Fuchs. 

1880.  Pacific  Conference,  Wheatland,  Ore.,  June  i8. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  A.  Krecker,  secretary.    Died — 

G.  Ketterman.  Licensed — H.  Bittner.  Deacon — H.  W. 
Axthelm.  J.  C.  Emmel  located.  C.  Waehlte,  of  the  Kansas 
Conference,  was  admitted.  J.  Bowersox  was  re-elected  pre- 
siding elder. 

Districts:  Oregon,  J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder  ;  California, 
F.  W.  Voegelein. 

Notes. — In  1879  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher  visited  Texas  with  a  view 
to  the  establishment  of  our  Church  in  that  State.  His  report  of 
the  prospects  was  favorable,  and  the  Board  of  Missions  soon  after 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


429 


appointed  J.  M.  Gomer,  of  the  Indiana,  and  D.  Kreh,  of  the 
Canada  Conference,  to  the  work.  The  missionaries  entered 
upon  their  work  in  the  early  part  of  1880,  Gomer  at  Galveston 
and  Kreh  at  San  Antonio.  Very  soon  after  his  arrival  Gomer 
purchased  a  church  and  parsonage  of  another  society.  He  also 
found  entrance  in  other  localities  where  he  met  with  some  de- 
gree of  success.  In  1883  he  organized  a  society  at  Temple, 
and  May  13  the  first  church  erected  by  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion in  Texas  was  dedicated  there.  About  this  time  also  a  par- 
sonage was  built  at  San  Antonio,  and  a  church  soon  afterwards. 
At  the  General  Conference  of  1887  the  work  in  Texas  was  con- 
stituted an  annual  conference.  The  first  session  was  held  at 
Temple,  November  25,  1887,  Bishop  Esher,  presiding. 

Biographical. — The  death  roll  of  prominent  ministers  of 
the  Association  is  this  year  unusually  large,  among  whom  we 
notice  the  following  : 

Rev.  Daniel  Berger  died  at  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  April  12. 
He  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1797.  Entered  the  Eastern 
Conference  in  1834,  and  served  in  the  itinerancy  twenty-six 
years. 

Rev.  William  L.  Reber  died  at  Reading,  Pa.,  May  21. 
He  was  born  in  Berks  county  Pa.,  in  18 10,  entered  the  active 
ranks  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference  in  1843.  In  1861  he  was 
elected  presiding  elder,  but  resigned  after  serving  the  office  two 
years  because  of  declining  health. 

Rev.  Levi  S.  Jacoby,  died  at  Newark,  N.  Y.,  August  30. 
He  was  born  in  Berks  county,  Pa.,  1826,  and  entered  the  East 
Pa.  Conference  in  1846,  and  was  an  original  member  of  the 
New  York  Conference.  He  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  the 
New  York  Conference  1860-64-69. 

Rev.  Jacob  Weikel,  died  in  Mercer  county.  Pa.,  May  25. 
He  was  born  in  Berks  county.  Pa.,  181 2,  entered  the  ministry 
of  the  West  Pa.  Conference  1851,  and  remained  in  the  Pitts- 
burg Conference.     Presiding  elder  in  1857-61. 

Rev.  H.  L.  Fisher,  died  at  Olney,  Ind.,  June  22.  He  was 
born  in  Lebanon  county,  Pa.,  1828,  entered  the  East  Pa.  Con- 
ference 1857.  Joined  the  Indiana  Conference  1863.  Elected 
presiding  elder  1870,  1875  and  1879.  An  earnest,  consecrated 
man. 

Rev.  Simon  A.  Tobias,  died  at  Davis,  111.,  February  11. 
He  was  born  near  Reading,  Pa.,  1822.     Entered  the  Ohio 


430  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Conference  1844,  and  later  became  a  member  of  the  Illinois 
Conference.  Elected  presiding  elder  1852.  Re-elected  1855. 
General  agent  for  Plainfield  College  1860-62. 

1881.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Millersburg,  Pa.,  February  23. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president  ;  B.  J.  Smoyer,  secretary.  Or- 
dained elders — A.  M.  Sampsel  and  F.  Smith.  Deacons — D.  W. 
BicKSLER,  J.  W.  Hoover,  J.  D.  Woodring  and  H.  S.  Clemens. 
Licensed — J.  B.  Fox,  I.  Heisler  W.  C.  Weiss,  R.  Teter, 
R.  RoESSEL,  G.  Reinhold  and  J.  R.  Overholser.  Creden- 
tials— T.  G.  Clewell,  a.  E.  Gobble  and  I.  E.  Zimmerman. 
Died — Jacob  Snyder,  D.  Berger,  W.  L.  Rarer  and  J.  Kurtz. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  J.  C.  Hornberger,  presiding  elder  ; 
Allentown,  C.  K.  Fehr ;  Reading,  I.  E.  Knerr  ;  Harrisburg, 
C.  S.  Haman  ;  Pottsville,  J.  O.  Lehr. 

1881.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Lock  Haven,  Pa.,  March  3. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  E.  Swengel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— A.  W.  Swengel,  M.  J.  Snyder,  E.  D.  Keene,  S.  O. 
McCuRDYandJ.  D.  Shortiss.  Ordained  elders — J.  C.  Reeser, 
H.  W,  Gross,  J.  A.  Hollenbach,  G.  H.  Schleh  and  C.  F. 
Gephart.  Deacons — J.  W.  Messenger,  C.  W.  Finkbinder, 
W.  H.  Hartman,  S.  F.  Vought,  J.  D.  Stover,  I.  Bower  and 
C.  C.  Reen.  J.  H.  Hollenbach  took  credentials  for  the  Pa- 
cific Conference.  A.  E.  Gobble,  of  the  East  Pa.,  and  S.  O. 
Musselman,  of  the  Kansas  Conference,  were  received.  M.  J. 
Carothers,  collector  for  mission  churches. 

Districts  :  York,  E.  Kohr,  presiding  elder ;  Juniata,  U.  F. 
Swengel ;  Lewisburg,  W.  E.  Detweiler  :  Williamsport,  A.  L. 
Reeser. 

1881.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Franklin  Pa.  March  10. 
Bishop  R.  DuHS,  president ;  W.  M.  Stanford,  Secretary.  Li- 
censed— C.  H.  Miller,  S.  J.  Caton  and  J.  Q.  A.  Curry. 

E.  C.  Martin  withdrew.  Died — Jacob  Burkett  and  J.Weikel. 
Ordained  elders — F.  J.  Strayer,  J.  W.  Domer  and  J.  A.  Yunt. 
Deacons — M.  L.  Weaver,  M.  J.  Balentine,  H.  S.  Stauffer, 

F.  W.  Barlett,  T.  B.  Zeller,  R.  D.  Dalzell  and  E.  F. 
Dickey. 

Districts:  Pittsburg,  J.  A.  Grimm,  presiding  elder ;  Somer- 
set, L.  M.  Boyer ;  Franklin,  D.  S.  Poling;  Allegheny,  J.  D. 
Domer. 

1881.  Ohio  Conference,  Independence,  Ohio  March  10. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  A.  Vandersall,  secretary.  G. 


CONFBRBNCE  RECORDS. 


431 


W.  Ellenberger  located.  Died — J.  Stultz.  Licensed — B. 
Ntebel  and  J.  D.  Lamb.  Ordained  elders — D.  C.  Eckerman, 
J.  O.  Stoll,  W.  F.  McMiLLEN,  H.  B.  Davis  and  M.  B.  Mohn. 
Deacons — J.  Wengert,  D.  Ewald,  G.  H.  Snyder  and  Dr.  A.  P. 
Dutcher.  J.  Lerch  joined  the  Illinois  Conference.  C.  L. 
Crowther  was  expelled.  W.  Wittington  was  re-elected  pre- 
siding elder. 

Districts  :  Fremont,  J.  StuU,  presiding  elder  ;  Cleveland,. 
W.  Wittington  ;  Columbus,  S.  Hoy. 

1881.  New  York  Conference,  Newark,  N.  Y.,  March  3. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  A.  Unholtz,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  ScHENK  and  L.  Heinmiller.  Ordained  elder — 
Phil  Spaeth.  Deacons — H.  A.  Snyder  and  R.  W.  Ziehme. 
A.  Umholtz  was  elected  presiding  elder.  L.  Jacoby,  an  itiner- 
ant, died. 

Districts  :  Albany,  A.  Umholtz,  presiding  elder  ;  Rochester^ 
M.  Lehn  ;  Buffalo,  M.  Pfitzinger. 

1881.  Erie  Conference,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  March  3.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  J.  Liebendorfer, 
local.  Died.  Licensed — R.  Lehman.  Deacons — P.  J.  Fowl 
and  G.  Goetz.  G.  G.  Zellhofer,  of  the  Nebraska  Confer- 
ence, was  received. 

Districts :  Cleveland,  J.  G.  Theuer,  presiding  elder  ;  Pitts- 
burg, C.  F.  Naegle. 

1881.  Canada  Conference,  Crediton,  Ont.,  April  21.. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  C.  F.  Braun,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— I.  K.  Devitt.     Ordained  Elders — H.  A.  Thomas  and 

D.  Kreh.  Deacons — S.  Graeb  and  E.  Eby.  S.  Morely  was 
again  admitted.  S.  Weber  and  P.  Winkler  were  super- 
annuated.    S.  L.  Umbach  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Waterloo,  S.  L.  Umbach,  presiding  elder  ;  Seb- 
ringville,  Joseph  Umbach  ;  Garrick,  C.  A.  Spies,  Ottawa,  C.  F. 
Braun. 

1881.  Atlantic  Conference,  Philadelphia,  May  6.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  F.  Kurtz,  secretary.  F.  Leiter,  local, 
died.  Licensed — R.  Low  and  J.  Himmel.  Ordained  elder — 
C.  Philipbar.  J.  Yeakel,  elder  of  the  conference  district. 
J.  G.  Marquardt  was  received  into  the  itinerancy. 

1881.  Indiana  Conference,  Elkhart,  Ind.,  April  7.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  D.  S.  Oakes,  secretary.    Licensed — 

E.  NiTSCHE,  C.  A.  Steffey,  J.  H.  Evans  and  E.  A.  Zirkle. 


433 


EVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Ordained  elders — A.  Iwan,  I.  B.  Fisher,  H.  Prechtel  and  W. 
WiLDERMUTH.    Dcacon — H.  Arlen. 

Districts  :  Elkhart,  E.  L.  Kiplinger,  presiding  elder  ;  Fort 
Wayne,  M.  Krueger  ;  Indianapolis,  C.  C.  Baumgardner. 

1881.  South  Indiana  Conference,  West  Salem,  111.,  March 
31.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  G.  W.  Braeckly,  secre- 
tary. Died — H.  L.  Fisher.  J.  Mode  located.  J.  Kaufman 
was  elected  presiding  elder  in  place  of  H.  L.  Fisher,  deceased. 
Fred  Schweitzer,  of  the  Michigan  Conference,  was  received. 

Districts :  Evansville,  J.  Fuchs,  presiding  elder  ;  Olney,  J. 
Kaufman. 

1881.  Illinois  Conference,  Barrington,  III.,  April  7. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  A.  Fuessele,  G.  W.  Caton,  secre- 
taries. Licensed — J.  Shultz,  E.  K.  Yeakel,  J.  H.  Johnston, 
S.  F.  Spiess  and  H.  Lueder.  Ordained  elders — J.  J.  Lintner, 
J.  J.  Elftman,  W.  Gross,  A.  Egli  and  S.  A.  Miller.  Dea- 
cons— C.  J.  Fry,  C.  A.  Paeth,  George  Harris,  C.  Dismeier 
and  J.  Fry.  Died — C.  Kopp.  Credentials — J.  Buck  and  O. 
Radinsky.  Three  thousand  four  hundred  and  thirty-three  dol- 
lars was  raised  at  the  missionary  meeting  during  the  conference. 
C.  DisMiER  and  L.  Schaefele  were  received  into  the  itinerancy. 
A.  Haefele,  T.  W.  Woodside,  T,  Murrry,  J-  Lerch,  of  the 
Ohio  Conference,  also. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  W.  Goessele,  presiding  elder  ;  Naper- 
ville,  M.  Stamm  ;  Freeport,  H.  Messner  ;  Mendota,  J.  Schnei- 
der ;  Peoria,  G.  Vetter. 

1881.  Iowa  Conference,  Fort  Dodge,  Iowa,  April  7. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president  ;  J.  Berner,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— P.  Ettinger,  J.  Heinmiller,  H.  W.  Hartman,  G. 
Brandstetter,  L.  H.  Smith  and  H.  M.  Trumbauer.  Or- 
dained elders — H.  Hiebenthal.  Deacons — A.  H.  Buente  and 
A.  Knoche. 

Districts  :  Dubuque,  J.  Henn,  presiding  i  liler  ;  Ackley,  H. 
Brauer  ;  Des  Moines,  E.  J.  Shultz. 

1881.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Blairstown,  Iowa,  April  14. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  J.  H.  Yaggy,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— C.  MuLLER,  F.  A.  Gasman  and  H.  Whistler.  Dea- 
con— S.  Krell.  Ordained  elders — J.  E.  Stauffacher,  J.  M. 
Johnston  and  D.  P.  Ellenberger.  J.  H.  Yaggy  and  A.  Bus- 
sard  were  elected  presiding  elders.  Credentials — J.  H.  Kip- 
linger, J.  A.  Dunlap  and  G.  W.  Killhoefer.     W.  Bates,  F, 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


433 


Methfessel,  J.  Hamilton  and  J.  Buck  were  received. 

Districts  :  Afton,  A.  Bussard,  presiding  elder ;  Cedar  Rapids, 
J.  H.  Yaggy  ;  Des  Moines,  D.  H.  Kooker. 

1881.  Platte  River  Conference.  In  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  the  General  Conference  the  Platte  River  Confer- 
ence was  formed  April  i6,  during  the  session  of  the  Des  Moines 
Conference  at  Blairstown,  Iowa.  C.  W.  Anthony  was  elected 
presiding  elder  of  the  Conference  District.  There  were  four- 
teen fields  of  labor,  some  of  which  were  not  supplied  at  con- 
ference. Eleven  itinerants  appear  on  the  list.  The  work  of 
the  conference  is  located  mostly  in  Nebraska. 

1881.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Menomonee  Falls,  April  28. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  W.  Wittenwvler.  Licensed — 
M.  Gauerke  and  J.  Nickels.  Deacons — J.  Schneller  and  J. 
A.  Liewert.  Ordained  elder — H.  Kickhoefer.  J.  Thilke, 
local,  died. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee,  L.  Buehler,  presiding  elder ;  Madi- 
son, H.  Schelp  ;  Portage,  A.  Tarnutzer  ;  Fond  du  Lac,  C.  F. 
Finger. 

1881.  Michigan  Conference,  Sharon,  Mich.,  April  14. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  C.  G.  Koch,  secretary.  J. 
NicoLAi  and  L.  Kemmerling  located.  Ordained  elder — H. 
Schneider.  Deacons — A.  A.  Schneder  and  J.  Schneider. 
M.  J.  Miller  was  dismissed. 

Districts :  Monroe,  S.  Copley,  presiding  elder  ;  Flint,  J-  M. 
Haug  ;  lona,  J.  M.  Fuchs. 

1881.  Minnesota  Conference,  Castle  Rock,  Minn.,  May  6. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president. 

Districts  :  St.  Paul,  H.  Bunse,  presiding  elder ;  Minne- 
apolis, C.  Brill  ;  St.  Peters,  A.  Strohmeier;  MankatoW.  Stegner. 

1881.  Nebraska  Conference,  Washington  county.  Neb., 
March  25.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  A.  Fisher,  secretary. 
Deacon — N.  Nagel.  Ordained  elder — H.  Illian.  Licensed — 
W.  H.  Althouse.  S.  H.  Witte  withdrew.  O.  Radinsky,  of 
the  Illinois  Conference,  was  admitted. 

J.  P.  Just  presiding  elder  of  conference  district. 

1881.  Kansas  Conference,  Holton,  Kan.,  March  31. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — 
T.  W.  Serf,  G.  W.  Edgar,  M.  Grabenstein  and  A.  Brunner. 
Ordained  elders — J.  M.  Dreisbach,  H.  Todeman,  D.  F. 
Honstedt,  C.   F.  Geiser  and  R.  Stahle.     Deacons— L.  C. 


484 


EVANOELIGAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALb. 


SCHNACKE,  F.  J.  ScHAFER,  C.  W.  Snyder,  W.  Dashner  and 

E.  A.  Brunner.  S.  Werner,  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference, 
was  received.  Credentials — R.  Stahle.  H.  Mattill  was 
re-elected  and  P.  Fricker  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Holton,  L.  Wenger,  presiding  elder  ;  Missouri, 
H.  Mattill;  South  West,  P.  Fricker. 

1881.  Pacific  Conference,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  June  3. 
J.  BowERSox,  president;  A.  Krecker,  secretary.  J.  A.  Holen- 
bach,  of  the  Central  Pa.,  and  R.  Stahle,  of  the  Kansas  Con- 
ference were  admitted.  Ordained  deacon — J.  C.  Hershner. 
Credentials — W.  C.  Kantner.    I.  Robinson  (local),  died. 

Districts  :  Oregon,  J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder ;  California, 

F.  W.  Voegelein. 

Notes. — The  work  of  the  Lord  prospered  in  a  general  way  this 
year.  While  the  statistics  of  some  conferences  indicate  a  de- 
clension, others  marked  activity  and  unusual  development. 
During  the  year  there  were  employed  in  the  home  and  for- 
eign field  391  missionaries,  of  these,  324  were  in  America,  fifty- 
eight  in  Europe  and  seven  in  Japan,  besides  seven  native 
helpers  in  Japan.  In  Japan  there  were  thirty-seven  members 
reported,  with  six  Sunday-schools  and  122  scholars  in  con- 
nection with  the  mission.  The  missionary  contributions  of 
this  year  were  the  highest  in  the  history  of  the  church,  and  $20,- 
000  in  advance  of  the  previous  year. 

Biographical. — Rev.  L.  Snyder,  died  at  Marion  Centre, 
Kansas,  July  13.  He  was  born  in  Montgomery  county,  Pa., 
1819.  Entered  the  East  Pa.  Conference  185 1.  Elected  pre- 
siding elder  in  i860,  and  served  two  terms.  United  with  the 
Kansas  Conference  1878,  and  died  on  his  charge. 

Rev.  Jacob  Himmel,  died  at  Mendota,  111.,  August  21. 
He  was  born  in  Germany  1832.  Entered  the  Illinois  Confer- 
ence 1854.  Elected  presiding  elder  187 1  and  1876.  He  was 
appointed  to  Mendota  Mission  at  the  end  of  his  last  term,  where 
he  died. 

1882.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  February  22. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  B.  J.  Smover,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— M.  W.  Harris,  W.  Hashinger,  C.  D.  Dreher,  T.  L. 
Wentz;  also  Uveno  Mikuma  and  Hirakawa  Lovotsura,  the 
first  natives  of  Japan  licensed  by  the  Evangelical  Association. 
Ordained  elder — J.  R.  Hensyl  and  N.  A.  Bark.  Deacons — 
W.  F.  Heil,  J.  L.  GuENTHER,  J.  C.  Krause,  H.  M.  Capp  and 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


435 


W.  H.  RiNECK.  A.  V.  Hirst  withdrew.  W.  L.  Black  located. 
J.  K.  Knerr  was  superannuated,  also  Father  J.  M.  Saylor. 
Died — J.  Adams  and  A.  Schultz.  C.  S.  Haman  and  C.  K. 
Fehr  were  re-elected  to  the  office  of  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  J.  C.  Hornberger,  presiding  elder ; 
AUentown,  C.  S.  Haman ;  Reading,  I.  E.  Knerr  ;  Harrisburg, 
C.  K.  Fehr ;  Pottsville,  J.  O.  Lehr. 

1882.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Carlisle  Pa.,  March  2. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  P.  W.  Raidabaugh,  secretary. 
Ordained  elders — E.  Crumbling  and  H.  H.  Douty.  Dea- 
cons— Prof.  A.  E.  Gobble,  J.  M.  Dick,  J.  McCamy  and  E.  W. 
KooNTZ.  Licensed — J.  H.  Welch,  J.  F.  Craul,  H.  A.  Ben- 
fer  and  H.  Armstrong.  S.  E.  Davis  went  to  the  Pacific  and 
E.  P.  Leonard  to  the  Des  Moines  Conference.  A.  Kraus  was 
superanuated.  M.  J.  Carothers  was  re-elected  collector  for 
mission  churches. 

Districts  :  York,  E.  Kohr,  presiding  elder  ;  Juniata,  U.  F. 
Swengel ;  Lewisburg,  W.  E.  Detweiler ;  Williamsport,  A.  L. 
Reeser. 

1882.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Zion  Church,  Venango 
county.  Pa.,  March  9.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  W.  M. 
Stanford,  secretary.  J.  Dick  was  superannuated.  W.  Evans 
took  credentials.  T.  G.  Clewell  was  received.  Licensed — 
A.  J.  Saylor,  C.  F.  Floto.  W.  B.  Shaffer,  A.  C.  Miller,  S.  S. 
Shirey,  D.  Stall  and  J.  C.  Liebhart.  Ordained  elders — W. 
M.  Covert.  Deacons — D.  J.  Hershberger,  F.  P.  Hummel, 
A.  J.  Bird,  C.  C.  Poling  and  A.  J.  Greenawalt.  D.  S. 
Poling  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  because  of  ill 
health,  and  T.  G.  Clewell  was  newly  and  J.  A.  Grimm  re- 
elected to  the  same. 

Districts  :  Pittsburg,  J.  A.  Grimm,  presiding  elder ;  Alle- 
gheny, J.  D.  Domer  ,  Franklin,  T.  G.  Clewell ;  Somerset,  L.  M. 
Boyer. 

1882.  Ohio  Conference,  Akron,  Ohio,  March  9.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  A.  Vandersall,  secretary.  Licensed — 
I.  Lively,  A.  N.  McCauley  and  A.  Case.  Ordained  elders — 
W.  W.  Sherrick,  J.  J.  Nonamaker,  A.  Evans,  Otto  Spreng 
and  S.  J.  Gamertsfelder.  Deacons — C.  H.  Dreisbach,  J.  S. 
Reinhart,  E.  B.  Shoemaker,  J.  W.  Smith  and  E.  Cover, 
Credentials — J.  J.  Kanaga,  W.  F.  McMillen  and  H.  Spitler. 
J.  T.  Bernhart  was  received. 


436 


EVANQELIGAL  ASSOOIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts  :  Cleveland,  W.  Whittington,  presiding  elder  ; 
Tiffin,  J.  StuU  ;  Fremont,  S.  Hoy  ;  Columbus,  H.  T.  Strauch. 

1882.  Indiana  Conference,  Waterloo,  Ind.,  April  6. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  D.  S.  Oakes,  secretary.  Lo- 
cated— J.  Beck  and  W.  Wildermuth.  Licensed — L.  Neitzel, 
W.  H.  Mygrant  and  R.  Rainy.  Ordained  elders — W.  Acker- 
man  and  A.  O.  Ra«er.    Deacon — George  Frederick. 

Districts  :  Elkhart,  E.  L.  Kiplinger,  presiding  elder  ;  Fort 
Wayne,  M.  Krueger  ;  Indianapolis,  C.  C.  Baumgardner. 

1882.  South  Indiana  Conference,  Huntingburgh,  Ind., 
March  31.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president.  Died — C.  R. 
Koch.     Ordained  elders — W.  I,.  Luehring  and  E.  Bohlander. 

Districts  :  Evansville,  J.  Fuchs,  presiding  elder  ;  Olney,  J. 
Kaufman. 

1882.  Michigan  Conference,  Oregon,  Mich.,  April  6. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  C.  G.  Koch,  secretary.  O. 
Ragatz  withdrew.  Credentials — F.  E.  Erdman.  L.  B.  Eaton, 
of  the  M.  E.  Church,  was  received.  Licensed — I.  Wheeler. 
A.  J.  Gramly,  of  the  Des  Moines,  J.  G.  Haller,  of  the  Minne- 
sota, and  J.  Drinkwater  and  H.  Spitler  of  the  Ohio  Confer- 
ence, were  admitted.  Ordained  elders — H.  Volker,  W.  F. 
Binder  and  W.  F.  Zander.  Deacons — H.  Shuknecht,  N. 
Wunderlich  and  W.  A.  Kohler.  J.  H.  Keeler  was  newly 
and  J.  M.  Haug  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Monroe,  J.  H.  Keeler,  presiding  elder  ;  Flint,  S. 
Copley,  lona,  J.  M.  Haug. 

1288.  Illinois  Conference,  Spring  Creek,  111.,  April  13. 
Bishop  Bowman,  president;  A.  Fuessele  (German),  and  W. 
Caton,  (English),  secretary.  Licensed — O.  F.  Brose,  C.  W. 
Schlueter,  W.  H.  Fehr  and  H.  Shafer.  Ordained  elders — 
C.  RoLOFF,  C.  S.  Fehr,  J.  W.  Schaf.fele  and  J.  K.  Shultz. 
Deacons — L.  Schaefele,  T.  Murrv,  A.  Haefele,  T.  A.  Wood- 
side  and  H.  F.  Kletzing.  C.  Burkhart  located.  Became, 
supernumerary — H.  Meyer,  J.  B.  Reif,  C.  Schumaker  and 
W.  A.  UNANG.ST.  Died— J.  Himmel,  H.  H.  Duth,  G.  M. 
Young  and  S.  McLean.  J.  J.  Kanaga,  of  the  Ohio,  and  W. 
Elmer,  of  the  Swiss  Conference,  received.  D.  B.  Byers  and 
S.  Dickover  were  newly  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  presiding  elder  ;  Naper- 
ville,  D.  B.  Byers  ;  Freeport,  H.  Messner  ;  Mendota ;  S.  Dick- 
over  ;  Peoria,  G.  Vetter. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


437 


1882.  Iowa  Conference,  Dubuque,  Iowa,  April  20.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  J.  F.  Berner,  secretary.  M.  J.  Mil- 
ler, of  the  Michigan  Conference,  was  admitted.  Ordained 
elders — J.  M.  Zellhoefer,  G.  D.  Flegler  and  P.  Belzer. 
Deacon — H.  Raecker.  Died — Peter  Gates  and  J.  Herman. 
H.  Kleinsorge  and  H.  Lageschulte  were  elected  presiding 
elders. 

Districts  :  Ackly,  H.  Lageschulte,  presiding  elder;  Dubuque, 
H.  Klinesorge  ;  Des  Moines,  J.  Henn. 

1882.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  April 
13.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  E.  B.  Utt,  secretary. 
Licensed — S.  Skogsburg,  J.  Smith,  G.  Heilman,  C.  M.  Pal- 
mer and  C.  M.  Swender.  Located — A.  Y.  Cupp  and  W.  King. 
S.  Hoover  was  superannuated.  Ordained  elders — H.  H.  Long, 
J.  AuRACHER,  T.  J.  Fink,  William  Bates  and  E.  P.  Leonard. 
Deacons — J.  Wirth,  J.  W.  Hamilton,  C.  J.  Miller  and  Virgil 
Urbino.    Credentials — A.  J.  Gramly  and  William  Newman. 

Districts  :  Cedar  Rapids,  J.  H.  Yaggy,  presiding  elder ;  Des 
Moines,  D.  H.  Kooker  ;  Afton,  A.  Bussard. 

1882.  Kansas  Conference,  Captain's  Creek,  Kan.,  March 
16.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president.  C.  Berner,  secretary. 
S.  B.  Brown  returned  to  the  East  Pa.  Conference.  Died — L. 
Snyder.  S.  Weber,  P.  H.  Rishel  and  J.  S.  Seip  withdrew. 
Licensed  —  M.  P.  Waehlte.  Ordained  elders  —  C.  F.  Erf- 
meyer,  p.  Schuman,  C.  Brunt  and  S.  H.  Dunkelberger. 

Districts  :  Holton,  L.  Wenger,  presiding  elder ;  Missouri, 
H.  Mattill ;  South  West,  P.  Fricker. 

1882.  Platte  River  Conference,  Blue  Springs,  Neb., 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  S.  W.  Kiplinger,  secretary. 
Died — T.  Monismith  and  Joseph  Brox.  Licensed — B.  E. 
Smith,  Josiah  Haldeman,  George  Andrews  and  H.  H.  Ot- 
TiNGERand  N.  F.  Kletzing.  Deacon — H.  M.  Liebhart,  P.  J. 
Gressly  and  P.  N.  Lantz. 

C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 

1882.  Nebraska  Conference,  Hastings,  Neb.,  March  24. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  A.  Fisher,  secretary.  H.  Alt- 
house  was  superannuated.  Conferences  was  divided  into  two 
districts.  F.  Backemeyer  was  newly  and  J.  P.  Just  was  re- 
elected presiding  elder.  Ordained  elders — A.  Brauchle  and 
O.  Radinsky.    Deacons — H.  Sohl  and  G.  Altstadt. 


438  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts  :  Fremont,  J.  P.  Just,  presiding  elder  ;  Hastings, 
F.  Backemeyer. 

1882.  Erie  Conference,  North  Amherst,  Ohio,  March  2. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Licensed — 
C.  Newton  Dubs,  E.  Moeller,  J.  Dietrich  and  C,  Wohlge- 
muth. Ordained  elders — H.  Cordes  and  L.  Pfifer.  Dea- 
cons— C.  A.  Waltz  and  G.  Zellhoefer.  J.  J.  Bernhart 
joined  the  Ohio  Conference.  G.  Berstecher,  of  the  Indiana 
Conference,  was  received. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  J.  G.  Theuer,  presiding  elder  ;  Pitts- 
burg, C.  F.  Negele. 

1882.  New  York  Conference,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  March  30. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  Reuber,  secretary.  Licensed — 
A.  E.  Mosher  and  J.  Schlagenhauf.  Ordained  elders — H. 
Koch  and  P.  E.  Bahn.  Deacons — J.  G.  Held  and  K.  Har- 
del.  D.  Fisher  became  supernumerary.  F.  A.  Sydow,  of  the 
Lutheran  Church,  was  admitted.    Died — H.  Graves. 

Districts  :  Albany,  A.  Unholtz  ;  Rochester,  M.  Lehn  ;  Buf- 
falo, M.  Pfitzinger. 

1882.  Canada  Conference,  Jacobs,  Ont.,  April  20. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  C.  F.  Braun,  secretary.  Died — 
H.  Holzman.  Licensed — L.  H.  Wagoner  and  W.  Berberich. 
Ordained  elders — M.  L.  Wing,  D.  Rieder,  J.  C.  Morelock 
and  C.  Staebler.  Deacons — L.  Wittich  and  F.  Meyer. 
Joseph  Umbach  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Waterloo,  S.  L.  Umbach,  presiding  elder ;  Sebring- 
ville,  Joseph  Umback  ;  Carrick,  C.  H.  Spies  ;  Ottawa,  C.  F. 
Braun. 

1882.  Atlantic  Conference,  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  April  27. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  F.  Kurtz,  secretary.  Licensed — 
F.  Egger.  H.  Guelich,  of  the  Swiss  Conference,  was  ad- 
mitted.   Credentials — R.  Deisher  and  E.  Heinrich. 

Jesse  Yeakel  presiding  elder  of  the  Conference  District. 

1882.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Jefferson,  Wis.,  April  27. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  M.  Wittenwvler,  secretary. 
Licensed — G.  F.  Kiekhoefer,  L.  M.  Siewert,  F.  Kruger 
and  H.  M.  Scheurman.  Deacon — D.  Schneider.  Ordained 
Elders — L.  F.  Emmert,  G.  Freuerich,  A.  H.  Finger  and  W. 
Detert.    Credentials — C.  Gruen.    Died — A.  Pipenburg. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee,  L.  Buehler,  presiding  elder;  Madison, 
H.  Schelp  ;  Fond  du  Lac,  C.  Finger ;  Portage,  A.  Tarnutzer. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


439 


1882.  Minnesota  Conference,  Zion,  Minn.,  May  5. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  H.  Ohs,  secretary.  Deacons — 
G.  DuBENDORF  and  P.  MuMM.  Ordained  elders — J.  G.  Hal- 
i.ER,  G.  Spaeth,  M.  Gagstatter  and  F.  C.  Sydow.  Licensed — 
L.  S.  Koch,  G.  J.  Schmidt,  A.  Berreth,  F.  C.  Yenny  and  J. 
Richards.    Credentials — J.  G.  Haller,  Jr. 

Districts :  St.  Paul,  H.  Bunse,  presiding  elder ;  Minne- 
apolis, C.  Briel ;  St.  Peter,  A.  Strohmeier ;  Mankato,  W. 
Stegner. 

1882.  Pacific  Conference,  San  Jose,  Cal.,  June  9.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  F.  W.  Voeglein,  secretary.  The  fol- 
lowing were  received  :  S.  E.  Davis,  of  the  Central  Pa.,  P. 
Bott,  of  the  Minnesota,  C.  Gruen,  of  the  Wisconsin,  and  W. 
AcKERMAN,  of  the  Indian  Conference.  R.  Stahle  was  ordained 
elder  and  was  permitted  to  attend  college. 

Districts  :  Oregon,  J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder  ;  California, 
F.  W.  Voegelein. 

Notes. — The  missionary  operations  of  the  Church  during 
this  year  were  more  extensive  than  ever.  The  number  of  mis- 
sionaries in  the  home  and  foreign  field  was  401,  serving  be- 
tween 800  and  1,000  different  appointments.  The  number  of 
conversions  on  the  mission  fields  aggregated  4,603,  and  the  ac- 
cessions 6,034.  Rev.  A.  Halmhuber,  one  of  the  missionaries 
in  Japan,  was  compelled  by  reason  of  ill  health  to  discontinue 
the  work  and  return  to  the  Fatherland.  The  missionary  con- 
tributions of  the  year  were  liberal.  The  bequests  made  to  the 
Missionary  Society  amounted  to  $16,403,  which  was  the  largest 
amount  received  during  any  year  in  the  history  of  the  society 
from  such  sources. 

1883.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  February 
28.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  B.  J.  Smoyer,  secretary. 
Died — J.  M.  Oplinger,  J.  Rhoads  and  W.  W.  Hambright,  also 
Moses  Dissinger,  of  the  Kansas,  but  late  of  this  conference. 
F.  E.  Erdman,  of  the  Michigan  Conference,  was  received,  and 
also  R.  Deisher,  of  the  Atlantic  Conference.  F.  G.  Stauffer 
went  to  the  Ohio  Conference.  Licensed — W.  E.  Waltz,  J. 
Stermer,  F.  D.  Geary,  A.  Benfield,  M.  Manshard,  W. 
ScHULER,  A.  S.  Kline,  W.  H.  Medlar  and  A.  B.  Saylor. 
Ordained  elders — D.  Woodring,  J.  W.  Hoover  and  D.  W. 
Bixler.  Deacons — F.  G.  Stauffer,  W.  H.  Stauffer,  H.  H. 
Romberger  and  D.  G.  Reinhold. 


440  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts  ;  Philadelphia,  J.  C.  Hornberger,  presiding  elder ; 
Allentown,  C.  S.  Haman  ;  Reading,  I.  E.  Knerr  ;  Harrisburg, 

C.  K.  Fehr  ;  Pottsville,  J.  O.  Lehr. 

1883.  Central  Pa.  Conference, Williamsport,  Pa.,  March  i. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  P.  W.  Raidabaugh,  secretary. 
Granted  credentials — S.  E.  Davis,  George  Carothers  and  W. 
H.  Davis.  J.  B.  Fox,  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  was  received. 
Licensed — G.  S.  Smith,  J.  C.  Morgenthaler,  O.  L.  Jacobs,  S. 
M.  Mounts,  L.  E.  Crumbling,  and  two  native  Japanese,  Motoi 
Matsuda  and  Jazo  Takano.  Ordained  elders — C.  W.  Fink- 
binder,  W.  H.  Hartman,  S.  F.  Vought,  J.  W.  Messinger  and 
R.  W.  Runyan.     Deacons — M.  J.  Snyder,  A.  W.  Swengel,  E. 

D.  Keene,  H.  T.  Searle,  C.  H.  Goodling,  I.  C.  Yeakel,  H. 
S.  Basom  and  C.  F.  Vale.  A.  L.  Reeser  resigned  the  office  of 
presiding  elder  because  of  declining  health.  W.  E.  Detwiler 
was  re-elected  and  M.  J.  Carothers  and  P.  W.  Raidabaugh 
were  newly  elected  presiding  elders.    Jacob  Boas,  A.  L.  Reeser, 

E.  Kohr,  George  Hunter,  P.  S.  Orwig  and  S.  W.  Seibert  took 
a  superannuated  relation. 

Districts:  York,  M.  J.  Carothers,  presiding  elder;  Juniata, 
U.  F.  Swengel ;  Lewisburg,  P.  W.  Raidabaugh  ;  Williamsport, 
W.  E  Detwiler. 

1883.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Immanuel's  Church,  Somerset 
county.  Pa.,  March  15.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  H.  H. 
HuRD,  secretary.  Licensed — A.  B.  Day,  F.  M.  Brickley,  G. 
J.  Coleman  and  M.  DeVaux.  Ordained  elders — M.  J.  Balen- 
tine,  M.  L.  Weaver,  E.  F.  Dickey,  F.  W.  Barlett,  T.  B.  Zel- 
ler  and  R.  D.  Dalzell.  Deacons — W.  F.  Shannon,  J.  Q.  A. 
Curry,  D.  F.  Platt  and  N.  S.  George.  Superannuated — G.  S. 
Domer,  J.  A.  Yount,  a.  W.  Platt  and  J.  Woodhull. 

Districts :  Pittsburg,  J.  A.  Grimm,  presiding  elder ;  Alle- 
gheny, J.  D.  Domer;  Franklin,  T.  G.  Clewell ;  Somerset,  L. 
M.  Boyer. 

1883.  New  York  Conference,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  March  8. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  J.  Reuiier,  secretary.  John 
Herrman  was  licensed.  Ordained  elder — H.  A.  Schneider. 
Deacons — L.  Hein.miller  and  P.  Bahn.  P.  Beck,  of  the  Ger- 
many Conference,  was  received. 

Districts:  Albany,  A.  Unholtz,  presiding  elder;  Rochester, 
A.  Holzwarth  ;  Buffalo,  M.  Pfitzinger. 

1883.    Canada  Conference,  Zurich,  Ont.,  April  19.  Bishop 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS 


441 


T.  Bowman,  president ;  M.  L.  Wing,  secretary.  Ordained  elders 
— D.  K.  Brandt,  E.  Edy  and  S.  C.  Graef.  Deacons — S.  B. 
Kraft. 

Districts :   South,  S.  L.  Umbach  ;  West,  Joseph  Umbach 
North,  C.  A.  Spies  ;  Ottawa,  C.  F.  Braun. 

1883.  Ohio  Conference,  Mt.  Cory,  O.,  March  8.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  A.  Vandersal,  secretary.  F.  G.  Stauffer, 
of  the  East  Pa.,  and  W.  H.  Bucks,  of  the  Illinois  Conference, 
were  admitted.  Granted  credentials — C.  H.  Dreisbach  and  S. 
Hoy.  Licensed — A.  Coply,  W.  P.  Schott,  and  D.  D.  Hard. 
Ordained  ciders — J.W^engerd  and  G.  H.  Schneider.  Deacons 
— J.  H.  Lamb  and  H.  Brenneman.    Located — J.  Plantz. 

Districts:  Cleveland, W.Whittington,  presiding  elder ;  Tiffin, 
H.  T.  Strauch;  Fremont,  E.  B.Crouse;  Columbus,  S.  P.  Spreng, 

1883.  Illinois  Conference,  Chicago,  111.,  April  8.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  F.  Busse,  secretary.  Licensed — J.  Van- 
deberg,  F.  Kraushaar,  M.  C.  Frey,  W.  L.  Walker,  S.  F. 
Entorf,  J.  Eager,  G.  W.  Ballenger,  I.  Divan,  F.  Schwartz,. 
A.  W.  RoHLAND  and  W.  Hoffman.  Ordained  elders — C.  Dis- 
meyer,  C.  a.  Paeth,  C.  J.  Frey,  G.  Harris  and  Prof.  H.  H. 
Rassweiler.  Granted  credentials — W.  H.  Bucks  and  J.  W, 
Schaefle.  G.  Fuchs  took  an  appointment  at  Denver,  Cel., 
under  the  Board  of  Missions.     Died — T.  Murry. 

Districts:  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  presiding  elder ;  Naperville, 
D.  B.  Byers ;  Freeport,  H.  Mesner ;  Mendota,  S.  Dickover ; 
Peoria,  G.  Vetter. 

1883.  Erie  Conference,  Cleveland,  O.,  March  8.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Licensed — E. 
Koehne,  H.  Wigand  and  C.  W.  Neuendorf.  G.  F.  Behner 
was  restored  as  local  elder.  Ordained  elders — G.  Goetz  and  P. 
Faul.     Deacon — J.  G.  Ziegler.     Died — N.  Yoder. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  J.  H.  Theuer,  presiding  elder;  Pitts- 
burg, C.  F.  Negele. 

1883.  Atlantic  Conference,  Baltimore,  Md.,  April  26. 
Bishop T.  Bowman,  president;  F.  Kurtz,  secretary.  Licensed — 
G.  Redman  and  O.  Arnold.  M.  Stecklev,  of  the  M.  E.  Church, 
was  received.  Ordained  elders-: — J.  Keller  and  A.  Steltz. 
Deacon — A.  L.  Yeakel.    Average  salary  for  the  past  year, 

J.  Yeakel,  presiding  elder  of  the  Conference  District. 

1883*  Iowa  Conference,  Trumbull's  Grove,  Iowa,  April  19. 
Bishop R.  Dubs,  president;  J.  F.  Berner, secretary.  Licensed — 


442 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS 


S.  Staebler,  W.  J.  ScHMALLE  and  H.  Knoll.  Ordained  elder — 
A.  H.  BuENTE.  Deacons — L.  Y.  Schmidt,  G.  Brandstetter, 
J.  D.  ScHAiBLE  and  H.  W.  Hartman. 

Districts  :  Dubuque,  H.  Kleinsorge,  presiding  elder ;  Ackley, 
H.  Lageschulte ;  Des  Moines,  J.  Henn. 

1883.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Afton,  Iowa,  April  12. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  E.  B.  Utt,  secretary.  Licensed — . 
C.  Knoll,  G.  W.  Mullen,  J.  H.  Rosenberg,  G.  McNeally, 
W.  W.  Morgan  and  F.  S.  Locke.  Ordained  deacons — B.  H. 
NiEBEL,  L  W.  Kemberltng,  J.  W.  Buck,  S.  Skogsburg,  T.  M. 
Evans,  A.  F.  Hahn  and  J.  W.  Walton.  Located — S.  Krell. 
S.  W.  Kiplinger,  of  the  Platte  River  Conference,  was  received. 

Districts  :  Cedar  Rapids,  J-  H.  Yaggy,  presiding  elder  ;  Des 
Moines,  D.  H.  Kooker  ;  Afton,  A.  Bussard. 

1883.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Baraboo,  Wis.,  April  26. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  P.  Speich,  secretary.  Licensed — 
Theo.  Schauer.  Ordained  elders — J.  Schneller,  J.  A.  Lie- 
WERT  and  A.  Heinhouse.  Deacons — J.  Nickel,  M.  Gaurke, 
W.  H.  Messerschmit,  C.  Heineck  and  A.  Bucholtz.     Died — 

G.  Winkowitch. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  G.  Fritsche,  presiding  elder,  Madi- 
son, J.  C.  Brendle  ;  Fon  du  Lac,  C.  F.  Zimmerman  ;  Portage, 

H.  Schelp. 

1883.  Indiana  Conference,  East  Germantown,  Ind.,  March 
29.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president  ;  D.  S.  Oakes,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— D.  E.  Hoover,  D.  H.  Fuchs,  P.  A.  Orth,  W.  Weiden- 
HEFT,  J.  E.  Stoops,  W.  H.  Brightmver  and  L.  S.  Fisher. 
Ordained  elders — H.  Arlen  and  D.  Martz.  Deacon — J.  E. 
Smith.  Located — D.  J.  Pontius  and  J.  Beck.  Died — Samuel 
Heiss  and  S.  K.  Miesse.  J.  Berger  was  received.  Granted 
credentials — E.  R.  Trover  and  F.  F.  Meyer. 

Districts:  Elkhart,  C.  C.  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder; 
Fort  Wayne,  D.  S.  Oakes;  Indianapolis,  E.  L.  Kiplinger. 

1883.  South  Indiana  Conference,  Evansville,  Ind.,  March 
22.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  W.  G.  Braecklv,  secretary. 
Licensed — G.  Koch.  Ordained  deacons — G.  M.  Hallwachs, 
and  F.  Theiss.  Located — J.  Mode.  J.  Fuchs  and  J.  Kaufman 
were  re-elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts:  Evansville,  J.  Kaufman,  presiding  elder;  Olney, 
J.  Fuchs. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS 


443 


1883.  Michigan  Conference,  Lima,  Ind.,  April  5.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  C.  G.  Koch,  secretary.  Licensed — A.  C. 
Winter  and  L.  Soldan.  Ordained  elders — A.  Scheurer  and 
J.  Snyder.  Deacons — W.  H.  Wagoner  and  W.  White.  Died — 
R.  Spatz.  Located — P.  Bittner.  S.  Coply  was  re-elected 
presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Monroe,  J.  H.  Keeler,  presiding  elder ;  Flint,  S. 
Coply;  Iowa,  J.  M.  Haug ;  North  Michigan,  F.  Mueller. 

1883.  Platte  River  Conference,  Alma,  Neb.,  March  16. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  B.  C.  Oyler,  secretary.  Licensed — 
R.  H.  Miller  and  W.  D.  Stambach.  Ordained  elder — B.  C, 
Oyler. 

C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder  of  Conference  District. 

1883.  Nebraska  Conference,  Louisville,  Neb.,  March  22. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  A.  Fisher,  secretary.  Licensed— 
H.  Wagoner  and  F.  Wiegert.  Ordained  deacons — C.  Suhr 
and  W.  H.  Althouse. 

Districts:  Fremont,  J.  P.  Yust,  presiding  elder;  Hastings, 
F.  Backemeyer. 

1883.  Minnesota  Conference,  Big  Stone  Circuit,  Minn., 
May  4.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  H.  Ohs,  secretary. 
Licensed — H.  Loewen,  G.  Seibold,  W.  Walter,  W.  Suckow, 
J.  Fondkey  and  R.  Leichman.  Ordained  elder — G.  Husser, 
Deacons — G.  J.  Schmidt,  H.  Isker,  W.  Tesh,  P.  Laux  and  L. 
S.  Koch.  F.  F.  Meyer  was  received.  Located — R.  Johnston 
and  W.  C.  Stegner.  Died — P.  Munn.  H.  E.  Linse,  A.  Huel- 
STER  and  A.  Knebel  were  newly  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts:  Mankato,  H.  E.  Linse,  presiding  elder;  Minne- 
apolis, A.  Strohmeier;  St.  Paul,  H.  Bunse ;  Yankton,  A.  Knebel; 
Fargo,  A.  Huelster. 

1883.  Kansas  Conference,  Marion  county,  Kan.,  March  23. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president,  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed 
— J.  F.  Lance,  G.  Stamm  and  J.  Naninga.  Ordained  elders — 
L.  C.  ScHNACKE,  W.  Daeschner,  F.  J.  ScHAEFER  and  C.  W. 
Snyder.  Deacons — A.  Bruner  and  T.  W.  Serf.  S.  Werner 
and  K.  W.  Edgar  withdrew.  J.  L.  Pierce,  of  th<e  M.  E.  Church, 
was  received.    J.  Wuerth  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Holton,  J.  Wuerth,  presiding  elder ;  Missouri,  H. 
Mattill;  Southwest,  P.  Fricker. 

1883.  Pacific  Conference,  Sacramento,  Cal.,  May  31. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  F.  W.  Voegelein,  secretary. 


444  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Licensed — F.  Reiser.  Ordained  deacons — H.  I.  Bittner  and 
J.  L.  Hershner.  Theodore  Suhr  was  received  and  C.Waehlte 
was  granted  credentials.  A  resolution  was  passed  requesting 
the  coming  General  Conference  to  divide  the  Pacific  Conference 
owing  to  the  great  extent  of  territory  covered. 

Districts:  Oregon,  J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder;  San  Fran- 
cisco, F.  W.  Voegelein. 

Notes. — The  year  1883  was  characterized  by  events  of  the 
greatest  moment  to  the  Association.  Dr.  F.  Krecker  died  at 
Tokio,  Japan,  April  26.  His  death,  in  that  far-off  land,  and  in 
the  midst  of  great  usefulness,  created  a  feeling  of  profound  sor- 
row throughout  the  entire  Church.  This  sad  circumstance  was 
somewhat  relieved  by  the  early  appointment  of  Prof.  W.  E.  Waltz 
as  an  additional  missionary  to  that  country. 

The  annual  report  of  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  indicates  unusual  missionary  interest.  The 
number  of  mission  fields  was  427,  and  the  number  of  missionaries 
420.  The  number  of  new  missions  located  was  45  ;  the  total 
membership  of  the  missions,  35,767.  The  mission  Sunday- 
schools  numbered  7  75,  with  6,910  officers  and  teachers  and  47, 230 
scholars.  The  conversions  on  the  missions  numbered  4,593  and 
the  accessions  6, 158.  The  missionary  contributions  were  larger 
than  ever  before,  and  aggregated  $111,566.  During  the  past 
quadrennium  the  sum  of  $36,906  was  raised  in  the  American 
conferences  for  building  churches  and  paying  church  debts  in 
Europe. 

Biographical. — In  addition  to  the  large  number  of  deaths 
noted  in  the  various  conference  proceedings  of  this  year,  we  give 
the  following  a  more  extended  biographical  notice  : 

Rev.  William  B.  STENGERdied  at  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  Aug.  6, 
in  the  very  prime  of  his  usefulness.  He  was  born  in  Germany 
in  1832,  entered  the  Illinois  Conference  in  1856  and  was  one 
of  the  first  missionaries  in  Minnesota,  and  an  original  member 
of  the  Minnesota  Conference.  He  was  elected  presiding  elder 
in  1867  and  three  times  thereafter. 

Rev.  John  Sindlinger  died  at  Plainfield,  111.,  Oct.  21.  He 
was  born  in  Germany  in  1807,  in  1819  his  father  removed  to 
Pennsyvlania  (see  Blockhouse),  where  the  whole  family  was  con- 
verted under  the  labors  of  John  Sevbert,  in  1834  he  entered 
the  Eastern  Conference,  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1839  in 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS 


445 


the  West  Pa.  Conference,  and  again  in  1850;  removed  in  1854 
to  Illinois,  where  he  labored  several  years. 

Rev.  Samuel  Dickover,  presiding  elder  of  Mendota  District, 
Illinois  Conference,  died  Nov.  10.  He  was  born  in  Wayne 
county,  Ind.,  in  1826,  converted  at  a  camp-meeting  in  1841,  in 
1846  entered  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  in  1881  was  elected 
presiding  elder  for  the  sixth  time.  In  November  he  was  fatally 
injured  in  a  railway  collision  while  on  his  way  to  attend  a  quar- 
terly meeting  on  Vermillion  Circuit.  He  was  many  times  a 
delegate  to  General  Conference,  and  a  man  of  prominence. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 


Eighteenth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Allentown, 
Pa.,  Oct.  4-25,  1883. 

1883.  General  Conference,  eighteenth  session,  Allentown, 
Pa.,  Oct.  4-25.  Presiding  bishops:  J.  J.  Esher,  R.  Dubs  and 
T.  Bowman;  W.  Horn,  secretary;  R.  Matt,  G.  Heinmiller, 
S.  P.  Spreng  and  U.  F.  Swengel,  assistant  secretaries. 

Rev.  E.  Light,  fraternal  delegate  from  the  United  Brethren 
Church,  delivered  an  address  before  the  conference,  which  was 
suitably  acknowledged. 

The  following  resolutions  were  adopted  by  a  rising  vote : 

"Whereas,  Brother  S.  Neitz,  a  delegate  elected  by  the  East 
Pa.  Conference  to  this  body,  has  been  stricken  down  by  disease, 
so  as  to  be  unable  to  attend  this  General  Conference  ;  therefore, 
Resolved,  That  we  hereby  express  our  sympathy  with  our 
dear  brother  in  his  affliction,  and  pray  our  kind  heavenly  Father 
to  speedily  restore  him  to  usual  health." 

The  Committee  on  Memorials,  in  their  report,  noted  the 
death  of  John  George  Zinzer,  Dr.  Frederick  Krecker  and 
John  M.  Sindlinger,  more  extended  mention  of  whom  will  be 
found  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

Among  the  items  adopted  was  the  making  of  women  eligible  as 
stewards,  and  another  expunging  from  the  Discipline  the  rule  put- 
ting members  on  probation  for  marrying  an  unconverted  person. 

The  Woman's  Missionary  Society,  at  a  convention  held  in 
Cleveland,  O.,  June  4,  petitioned  the  General  Conference  to 
permit  their  organization  to  be  denominational,  and  operate  as 
an  auxiliary  to  the  Parent  Society.  The  conference  took  the 
following  action  at  their  request : 

"Resolved,  That  permission  to  organize  such  a  society  is 
hereby  granted  under  the  following  conditions  :  ( i  )That  all  local 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


447 


women's  societies  shall  be  under  the  supervision  of  the  preacher- 
in-charge,  where  such  societies  shall  be  or  are  already  organized; 
(2)  that  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society  of  the  Evangelical 
Association  shall  be  auxiliary  to  the  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Evangelical  Association,  and  under  the  supervision  of  the  Board 
of  Missions,  and  shall  annually  submit  their  proceedings  to  said 
board  for  examination  and  approval." 

The  Pacific  Conference  was  divided,  and  the  Oregon  and 
California  Conferences  constituted.  The  Dakota  Conference 
was  formed  of  part  of  the  Minnesota. 

The  Christliche  Boischafter  and  Evangelical  Mesesnger  were 
ordered  to  be  published  in  book  form.  An  English  family  mag- 
azine was  ordered  to  be  published  as  soon  as  16,000  subscribers 
to  the  same  are  secured. 

The  election  of  oiificers  resulted  as  follows  :  Bishops,  J.  J. 
EsHER,  R.  Dubs  and  T.  Bow.man  ;  senior  publisher,  M.  Lauer  ; 
junior  publisher,  W.  Yost;  editor  of  Christliche  Boischafter,^ . 
Horn;  editor  ot  Evangelical  Messenger,  H.  B.  Hartzler;  editor 
of  Evangelische  Magazine  and  German  Sunday-School  Litera- 
ture, C.  A.Thomas  ;  editor  of  Living  Epistle  3ind  English  Sunday- 
School  Literature,  P.  W.  Raidabaugh  ;  corresponding  secretary 
of  the  Missionary  Society,  S.  Heininger  ;  treasurer  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society,  S.  L.  Wiest  ;  agent  of  the  publishing  house  in 
Germany,  J.  Waltz  ;  editor  of  the  Evangelische  Boischafter, 
etc.,  in  Germany,  G.  Fuessele  ;  superintendent  of  Orphan 
Home,  E.  Kohr. 

Delegates — East  Pa.  Conference. — C.  K.  Fehr,C.  S.  Haman 
J.  C.  Hornberger,  J.  O.  Lehr,  L  E.  Knerr,  B.  J.  Smoyer,  S.  S. 
Chubb,  S.  C.  Breyfogel,*  B.  F.  Bohner*  and  A.  M.  Stirk.* 

Central  Pa.  Conference. — W.  E.  Detwiler,  M.  J.  Carothers, 
S.  W.  Seibert,  U.  F.  Swengel,  P.  W.  Raidabaugh,  J.  Young  and 
E.  Kohr. 

Pittsburg  Conference.— }.  D.  Domer,  L.  M.  Boyer,  T.  G. 
Clewell,  W.  M.  Stanford,  G.  S.  Domer  and  T.  Bach. 

Ohio  Conference. — W.  Wittington,  E.  B.Crouse,  H.T.  Strauch 
S.  P.  Spreng,  J.  Stull,  D.  Strohman  and  William  Yost.* 

New  York  Conference. — M.  Pfitzinger,  A.  Holzwarth  an  i 
M.  Lehn. 

Atlantic  Conference. — F.  Kurtz  and  J.  Yeakel. 


♦Alternates. 


•448  E  VANG  E Lie  A  L  A  SSOGIA  TION  ANNALS. 


Erie  Conference. — C.  F.  Negele,  J.  G.  Theuer  and  N.  Mott. 

Canada  Conference. — J.  Umbach,  C.  A.  Spies,  S.  L.  Umbach 
and  C.  F.  Braun. 

Michigan  Conference. — J.  M.  Haug,  J.  M.  Fuchs,  S.  Hein- 
inger,  E.  Weis  and  S.  Coply. 

Indiana  Conference. — E.  L.  Kiplinger,  C.  C.  Baumgardner, 

D.  S.  Oakes  and  M.  W.  Steffy. 

South  Indiana  Conference. — J.  Fuchs  and  J.  Kaufman. 

Illinois  Conference. — H.  Messner,  D.  B.  Byers,  S.  Dickover, 
J.  Schneider,  H.  Rohland,  C.  Lindeman,  C.  Augenstein,  W. 
Huelster  and  M.  Stamm. 

Wisconcin  Conference.— G.  Fritsche,  C.  F.  Zimmerman,  J. 

E.  Brendel,  H.  Schelp  and  A.  Tarnutzcr. 

Iowa  Conference. — H.  Kleinsorge,  H.  Lageschulte  and  J.  F. 
Berner. 

Des  Moines  Conference. — D.  H.  Kooker,  J.  H.  Yaggy,  A. 
Bussard  and  J.  F.  Yerger.* 

Platte  River  Conference. — C.  W.  Anthony. 
Nebraska  Conference. — F.  Backemeyer. 

Kansas  Conference. — H.  Mattill,  J.  Wuerth,  P.  Fricker  and 
J.  G.  Pfeifer. 

Minnesota  Conference. — H.  E.  Linse,  H.  Bunse,  A.  Stroh- 
meier  and  Augustus  Huelster. 

Pacific  Conference. — F.  W.  Voegelein. 

German  Conference. — J.  Kaechele  and  G.  Fuessele. 

Swiss  Conference. — H.  Hintze  and  G.  Heinmiller. 

Ex-officio  Members. — M.  Lauer,  W.  Horn,  H.  B.  Hartzler, 
C  A.  Thomas,  H.  J.  Bowman  and  S.  L.  Wiest. 

1884.  East  Pa. Conference,  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Feb.  27.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  S.  C.  Breyfogel,  secretary.  Licensed — 
E.  B.  Mauger,  H.  A.  Smith,  C.  C.  Speicher,  C.  Rothermel, 
W.  W.  Yost,  J.  P.  Miller,  A.  H.  Snyder  and  G.  Holtzapple. 
Ordained  deacons — C.  D.  Dreher,  H.  M.Wingert,  L  F.  Heis- 
ler,  J.  S.  Overholtzer  and  C.  J.  Wakmkessel.  M.  W.  Harris 
was  reinstated  to  his  former  relation  as  elder.  Granted  creden- 
tials— J.  H.  Hashinger.  Died — Joseph  Gross,  S.  Miesse,  J. 
B.  Cole  and  Dr.  F.  Kkeckkk,  missionary  in  Japan.  J.  C. 
Hornberger  was  re-elected  and  B.  J.  Smoyer  and  A.  M.  Stirk 
were  newly  elected  presiding  elders. 


♦Alternates 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS 


449 


Districts:  Philadelphia,  C.  K.  Fehr,  presiding  elder;  Allen- 
town,  C.  S.  Haman;  Reading,  J.  C.  Hornberger ;  Harrisburg, 
A.  M.  Stirk ;  Pottsville,  B.  J.  Smoyer. 

1884.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Milton,  Pa.,  March  6. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  J.  M.  Ettinger,  secretary. 
Granted  credentials — E.  James  and  J.  O.  McCurdy.  Licensed — 
E.  O.  GooDLiNG  and  J.  Tyler.  Ordained  elder — J.  M.  Dick. 
Deacons — J.  R.  Sechrist,  J.  H.  Welch,  J.  D.  Shortiss,  H.  D. 
Benfer,  S.  M.  Mountz,  C.  Stroup  and  D.  M.  Strine.  S.  W. 
Seibert  and  J.  M.  ExTiNGERwerenewly  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts:  York,  M.  J.  Carothers,  presiding  elder ;  Juniata, 
J.  M.  Ettinger;  Lewisburg,  S.  W.  Seibert;  Williamsport,  W. 
E.  Detwiler. 

1884.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  March  13. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  G.  W.  Brown,  secretary.  Died — 
H.  Gathers  and  J.  H.  Yount.  Licensed — A.  W.  Brickley,  J. 
N.  BuzzA,  A.  Haun  and  J.  Stouffer.  Ordained  deacons — S. 
J.  Eaton,  C.  H.  Miller,  A.  C.  Miller  and  I.  B.  Coban.  J.  D. 
Domer  was  re-elected  and  D.  K.  Lavan  was  newly  elected  pre- 
siding elder.  J.  H.  Vote,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  was  received. 
C.  C.  Poling  and  F.  T.  Strayer  took  work  in  the  Oregon  con- 
ference. 

Districts  :  Pittsburg,  J.  D.  Domer;  Allegheny,  J.  A.  Grimm; 
Franklin,  T.  G.  Clewell;  Somerset,  D.  K.  Lavan. 

1884.  New  York  Conference,  Webster,  N.  Y.,  March  13. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  J.  Reuber,  secretary.  Licensed — 
G.  Schloerb.  Ordained  elder — J.  G.  Held.  Deacons — J. 
Shenk  and  J.  Schlagenhauf.  Located — C.  Hardel.  With- 
drew— F.  A.  Sydow.  Granted  credentials — S.  Bean  and  A. 
Schlenk.     M.  Pfitzinger  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Albany,  A.  Holzwarth,  presiding  elder;  Rochester, 
M.  Pfitzinger;  Buffalo,  A.  Unholtz. 

1884.  Canada  Conference,  Waterloo,  Ont.,  April  10.  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  M.  L.  Wing,  secretary.  Licensed — S. 
Knechtel,  D.  Clemens,  J.  Ortwein  and  J.  Schwalm.  Ordained 
elders — L.  Wittich  and  F.  Meyer.  Deacon — L.  H.  Wagner. 
C.  Bohlender,  of  the  Mennonite  Church,  was  received.  Granted 
credentials — W.  Lingelbach.  C.  A.  Spies  resigned  the  office 
of  presiding  elder  and  J.  J.  Kliphart  was  elected  in  his  stead. 

Districts :  South,  S.  L.  Umbach,  presiding  elder  ;  West,  J.  J. 
Kliphart ;  North,  Joseph  Umbach  ;  Ottawa,  S.  N.  Moyer. 


450  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


1884.  Erie  Conference,  Sandusky,  O.,  March  6.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Licensed — C. 
Klaholtz,  H.  Fuessner  and  J.  Hosbach.  Ordained  deacons — 
C.  Wohlgemuth,  P.  Wiest  and  E.  Beck.  Received — R.  Yea 
KEL,  W.  F.  Zander,  C.  Munk  and  W.  Lingelbach.  Granted 
credentials — L.  Scheuerman  and  L.  Pfeifer.  C.  F.  Negelf, 
was  re-elected  and  C.  L.  Witt  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  C.  F.  Negele,  presiding  elder;  Pitts- 
burg, C.  L.  Witt. 

1883.  Atlantic  Conference,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  April  25. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president.  Licensed — A.  Swan  and  F. 
Frank.  Ordained  elders — A.  D.  Pfort  and  H.  P.  Boll.  Dea- 
con— F.  Egger.  J.  Dooly  was  dismissed.  T.  Plattenberger 
and  J.  S.  Farnsworth  died.  S.  Werner  was  received.  H. 
GuELicH  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

H.  Guelich,  presiding  elder  of  the  Conference  District. 

1884,  South  Indiana  Conference,  Jonesboro,  Ind.,  March 
19.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  G.  Braeckly,  secretary. 
Licensed — John  Mundorf.  Ordained  deacon — E.  J.  Nitsche. 
J.  Fuchs  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  F.  Schweitzer 
was  elected  to  the  same.  Located — C.  F.  Matheis  and  J.  Fuchs. 
F.  Launer  and  W.  Koenig  were  received. 

Districts  :  Evansville,  J.  Kaufman,  presiding  elder  ;  Olney, 
J.  Schweitzer. 

1884.  Indiana  Conference,  Rochester,  Ind.,  March  27. 
])ishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  D.  S.  Oakes,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— G.  B.  Holdeman,  C.  Benner,  F.  Rousch  and  J.  H. 
ScHNiTZ.  B.  Ruh  was  restored.  R.  Reigel  was  received.  F. 
Launer  and  W.  Koenig  joined  the  South  Indiana  Conference. 

E.  L.  Kiplinger  located.   J.  Berger  was  elected  presiding  elder. 
Districts:   Elkhart,  C.  C.  Baumgardner ;  Fort  Wayne,  D.  S. 

Oakes  ;  Indianapolis,  J.  Berger. 

1884.  Ohio  Conference,  Belleview,  O.,  April  10.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president;  A.  Vandersal,  secretary.  Licensed — 
I.  M.  HousER,  P.  CocKLiN,  E.  Spreng,  M.  E.  Rife  and  T.  C. 
LusE.  Ordained  elders — J.  S.  Reinhart  and  E.  B.  Shoemaker. 
Deacons — A.  N.  McCauly,  J.  S.  Fitterer  and  J.  B.  Kanaga. 

F.  C.  Hoffman, withdrew.  Granted  credentials — J.  J.  Bernhart, 
C.  A.  Munk  and  H.  T.  Strauch.    H.  C.  Berger  was  received. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  W.Whittington,  presiding  elder  ;  Tiffin, 
A.  Vandersal;  Fremont,  E.  B.  Crouse  ;  Columbus,  S.  P.  Spreng. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS 


451 


1884.  Illinois  Conference,  Geneseo,  111.,  April  lo.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president;  A.  Fuessele,  secretary.  Licensed — W. 
Waldhausen,  G.  Hemkens,  J.  M.  Schaefele,  J.  Buente,  J. 
Alber,  D.  T.  Kahl,  G.  Barth,  A.  J.  Culver  and  I.  T.  Haver- 
field.  Ordained  elders — A.  Haefele,  T,  W.  Woodside,  W.  A. 
Unangst  and  JL.  W.  Schaefele.  Deacons — J.  H.  Johnson  and 
J.  W.  Franks.  J.  J.  Elftman  took  credentials.  Died — J.  G. 
Zinzer,  J.  M.  Sindlinger  and  S.  Dickover.  J.  Schneider 
and  H.  Messner  were  re-elected,  and  A.  Fuessele  and  W.Huel- 
ster  were  newly  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts :  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  presiding  elder ;  Naper- 
ville,  D.  B.  Byers;  Freeport,  W.  Huelster;  Mendota,  H.  Mess- 
ner ;  Peoria,  A.  Fuessele. 

1884.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Menomonee,  Wis.,  April  17. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  L.  Runkel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— G.  J.  Erfmeyer,  C.  Berg,  G.  Klaiber  and  G.  Kurtz. 
Ordained  elder — D.  Schneider.  Deacons — G.  F.  Kiekhoefer 
and  L.  M.  Siewert.  J.  Meyer  and  G.  Keller  (locals),  and 
P.  Held  and  O.  Kuederling  (itinerants)  received  credentials. 
J.  Koch  located.    J.  G.  Esslinger  died. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee,  G.  Fritsche,  presiding  elder  ;  Madison, 
J.  C.  Brendel ;  Fon  du  Lac,  C.  F.  Zimmerman;  Portage,  H.  Schelp. 

1884.  Michigan  Conference,  Portage  Prairie,  Mich.,  April 
3.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  F.  Klump,  secretary.  Wm. 
Binder  died.  Licensed — Wm.Vogel,  C.Vincent,  J.  L.  Haltz- 
MAN,  A.  Bogen,  p.  Scheurer,  Chas.  Ross,  Chas.  Kramer, 
Noah  Frey,  J.  A.  Swenk,  George  Johnson  and  S.  P.  Krause. 
Ordained  elders — W.  A.  Koehler,  H.  Schuknecht  and  M. 
Wunderlich. 

Districts:  Monroe,  J.  H.  Keeler,  presiding  elder;  Detroit, 
S.  Coply;  lona,  J.  M.  Haug;  North  Michigan,  F.  Miller. 

1884.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  April 
17.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  E.  B.  Utt,  secretary. 
Licensed — L.  Staufacher,  W.  J.  Conrad  and  S.  P.  Hayden. 
Ordained  elders — C.  J.  Miller  and  Virgil  Urbino.  Deacons — 
A.  E.  Mosher  and  G.  L.  Springer.  J.  Wagoner  was  super- 
annuated. Granted  credentials — William  Bates.  W.  Piper 
was  received  from  the  M.  E.  Church.  D.  H.  Kooker  was  re- 
elected presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Cedar  Rapids,  J.  H.  Yaggy,  presiding  elder;  Des 
Moines,  D.  H.  Kooker;  Afton,  A.  Bussard. 


452 


EVANGELICAL  AS80CIA  TION  ANNALS. 


1884.  Iowa  Conference,  Ackley,  Iowa,  April  24.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  E.  J.  Shultz,  secretary.  Licensed — 
A.  GoETz,  S.  Sassman,  Carl  Gerhart,  G.  Knoche,  J.  Belau 
and  A.  Schmalle.  Ordained  elder — H.  Raeker.  P.  Held,  of 
the  Wisconsin  Conference,  was  received.  Granted  credentials — 
H.  Brauer,  C.  Pfeil  and  H.  Raeker. 

Districts:  Dubuque,  H.  Kleinsorge,  presiding  elder  ;  Ackley, 
H.  Lageschulte ;  Des  Moines,  J.  Henn. 

1884.  Minnesota  Conference,  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  May  2. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  H.  Ohs,  secretary.  Licensed — 
L.  Staff,  F.  Arndt,  H.  Seder  and  D.  Seder.  Ordained  elder 
— G.  Duebendorf.  Masatada  Schmidzu  and  Neba  Race 
HoRiYE,  natives  of  the  Japan  Mission,  were  licensed  to  preach. 
Wm.  Stegner  died.    H.  Bunse  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts :  St.  Paul,  H.  E.  Linse,  presiding  elder ;  Minneap- 
olis, A.  Strohmeier ;  Mankato,  H.  Bunse. 

1884.  Dakota  Conference,  first  session.  Big  Stone  City, 
D.  T.,  May  9.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  F.  F.  Mever,  sec- 
retary. Licensed — A.  Oertli.  Ordained  deacons — W.  Blanch- 
ard,  a.  Berreth,  J.  Fandrev  and  F.  C.  Yennv.  W.  Bates 
and  O.  Kuederling  were  received. 

Districts  :  Yankton,  A.  Knebel,  presiding  elder  ;  Fargo,  A. 
Huelster. 

1884.  Nebraska  Conference,  Stanton,  Neb.,  March  6. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  A.  Fisher,  secretary.  Licensed — 
F.  Beckman  and  B.  F.  Meyers.  Ordained  elder — H.  Soul. 
Deacons — L.  Neitzel  and  I.  Laipley.  G.  Alstadt  located. 
H.  Raeker  was  received.  Granted  credentials — S.W.  McKesson. 

Districts:  Fremont,  J-  P-  Just,  presiding  elder;  Hastings, 
F.  Backemeyer. 

1884.  Platte  River  Conference,  Glenville,  Neb.,  March  14. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  B.  C.  Oyler,  secretary.  Licensed — 
S.  B.  DiLLOw,  D.  W.  Anderson,  W.  L.  Dillow  and  L.  G. 
Brooker.  Ordained  elders — P.  N.  Lantz,  P.  J.  Gressly  and 
H.  M.  LiEBHART.  Deacons — N.  F.  Kletzing,  Josiah  Halde- 
MAN,  J.  Richards  and  S.  J.  Shupp.  S.  W.  McKesson  and  T. 
W.  Serf  were  received. 

C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder  of  the  Conference  District. 

1884.  Kansas  Conference,  Nemaha  Circuit,  Kan. ,  March  20. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — 
A.  Ernst,  M.  Walter,  A.  Sweitzer  and  D.  Swart.  Ordained 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


458 


deacon — G.  Dienst.  T.  Serf  joined  the  Platte  River  Confer- 
ence. G.  SoRG  and  A.  Mattill  were  received.  J.  H.  Tobias 
was  elected  presiding  elder.  Two  thousand  seven  hundred  and 
ten  dollars  was  raised  at  the  conference  session  for  the  mission- 
ary cause. 

Districts  :  Holton,  J.  Wuerth,  presiding  elder  ;  Kansas  City, 
H.  Mattill;  Emporia,  P.  Fricker ;  Newton,  J.  H.  Tobias. 

1884.  California  Conference,  first  session,  Santa  Ana,  Cal., 
Feb.  12.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  F.  W.  Fisher,  secretary. 
Ordained  deacon — H.  P.  Hoeslv.  T.  Suhr  was  elected  presid- 
ing elder.  H.  W.  Axthelm  was  deposed  from  the  ministry  and 
expelled  from  the  Church. 

T.  Suhr,  presiding  elder  of  the  Conference  District;  F.  W. 
Voegelein,  missionary  in  Japan. 

1884.  Oregon  Conference,  first  session,  Corvallis,  Ore., 
May  23.  Bishop  R.  Duks,  president :  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary. 
Conference  was  organized  with  the  following  members  :  J.  Bow- 

ERSOX,  A.  SCHLENK,  A.  KrECKER,  F.  J.  StRAVER,  J.  A.  HOLLEN- 

BACH,  H.  I.  BiTTNER,  J.  L.  Hershner,  S.  E.  Davis  and  C.  C. 
Poling.    J.  Bowersox  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder  of  the  Conference  District. 

1885.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Catasauqua,  Pa.,  Feb.  25. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  C.  S.  Breyfogel,  secretary.  Died — 
A.  H.  OvERHOLT,  D.  Hambright  and  S.  Breyfogel.  Granted 
credentials — A.  D.  Light.  Ordained  elders — H.  H.  Rumber- 
ger,  D.  G.  Reinhold  and  W.  H.  Stauffer.  Deacons — J. 
Stermer,  F.  D.  Geary,  A.  B.  Saylor,  A.  S.  Kline,  W.  Shuler 
and  W.  E.  Waltz.  Licensed — E.  R.  Seip,  D.  J.  Ebert,  B.  C. 
Krupp,  a.  J.  Brunner,  S.  Buntz,  W.  J.  Johnson,  A.  E.  Wil- 
liams, W.  M.  Fetter,  D.  S.  Manning  and  A.  H.  Doerstler. 
A.  Krecker,  of  the  Oregon,  and  J.  M.  Longsdorf,  of  the  Cen- 
tral Pa.  Conference,  were  admitted.  A  mission  was  established 
in  Florida. 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  C.  K.  Fehr,  presiding  elder ;  Allen- 
town,  C.  S.  Haman;  Reading,  J.  C.  Hornberger;  Harrisburg, 
A.  M.  Stirk ,  Pottsville,  B.  J.  Smoyer. 

1885.  Central  Pa. Conference, York,  Pa.,  March  4.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president;  A.  Stapleton,  secretary.  Died — Jacob 
Boas  and  M.  Sloat.  Licensed — C.  W.  Leonard,  C.  L.  Sones, 
C.  V.  B.  Aurand,  W.  L.  Beaumont,  R.  Hollenbach  and  M.  I. 


454  E  VANOELIGAL  ASSOGIA  TION  ANNALS. 


Jamison.    Ordained  elders — M.  F.  Fosselman,  H.  T.  Searle, 

E.  D.  Keene,  C.  H.  Goodling,  I.  C.  Yeakel  and  Prof.  A.  E. 
Gobble.  Deacons — J.  B.  Fox,  L.  E.  Crumbling  and  J.  F. 
Thomas.  Granted  credentials — J.  M.  Longsdorf.  A.  S.  Baum- 
GARDNER  was  receivcd  from  the  Pittsburg  Conference ;  also  J. 
L.  Miller,  of  the  United  Brethren  Church. 

Districts:  York,  M.  J.  Carothers,  presiding  elder ;  Juniata, 
J.  M.  Ettinger ;  Lewisburg,  S.  W.  Seibert;  Williamsport,  W.  E. 
Detwiler. 

1885.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Millville,  Pa,,  April  23.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president;  G.  W.  Brown,  secretary.  Granted  creden- 
tials— A.  W.  Platt  and  A.  S.  Baumgardner.  S.Coy  withdrew. 
J.  Dick  and  A.  Niebel  were  superannuated.  Died — H.  H.  Hurd 
and  T.  Eisenhower  (itinerants),  and  H.  S.  Stouffer  (local). 
Licensed — J.  Smith,  H.  M.  Fink,  E.  E.  Rickenbrod,  J.  B. 
Ward,  F.  Berkey,  J.  L.  Mull,  W.  H.  Cramer,  H.  Houst,  C. 

F.  McCauly,  J.  H.  Skimp,  H.  J.  Wise  and  C.  D.  Slagel. 
Ordained  elders — W.  F.  Shannon,  J.  Q.  A.  Curry  and  D.  F. 
Platt.  Deacons — F.  D.  Ellenberger,  F.  M.  Brickley,  C.  J. 
Coleman,  G.  W.  Finnecy  and  M.  V.  Devaux.  J.  A.  Grimm 
resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  because  of  ill-health,  and 
I.  A.  Rohland  was  elected  to  the  same. 

Districts:  Franklin,  T.  G.  Clewell,  presiding  elder;  Pitts- 
burg, J.  D.  Domer ;  Allegheny,  I.  A.  Rohland ;  Somerset,  D. 
K.  Lavan. 

1885.  Illinois  Conference,  Naperville,  111.,  April  9.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president;  G.  Vetter  (German)  and  W.  Caton 
(English),  secretaries.  Died — J.  Dunlap,  J.  Erb  and  C.  Bar- 
tels.  Licensed — J.  Kraft,  J.  Elmer,  H.  Moser,  H.  Thoren, 
J.  Klupp,  J.  Stengel,  C.  Vaubel,  A.  Wiegman,  J.  Divan  and 
H.  Pope.  Ordained  elders — E.  K.  Yeakel  and  J.  H.  Shultz. 
Deacons — O.  Brose,  F.  Schwartz,  F.  Kraushaar,  H.  Lueder, 
S.  F.  Entorf,  G.  W.  Ballenger,  I.  Divan  and  J.  Sturm. 

Districts:  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  presiding  elder;  Naper- 
ville, D.  B.  Byers  ;  Freeport,  W.  Huelster  ;  Mendota,  H.  Mess- 
ner;  Peoria,  A.  Fuessele. 

1885.  Ohio  Conference,  Cary,  O.,  April  9.  Bishop  R. 
Dubs,  president;  A.  C.  Stull,  secretary.  Died — F.  R.  Tothe- 
roh,  E.  L.  Over,  Daniel  Brickley  and  J.  Ebert.  Licensed — 
W.  D.  Huddle,  A.  F.  Beery,  J.  H.  Ablett  and  W.  H.  Munk. 
Ordained  elders — J.  H.  Lamb  and  F.  G.  Stauffer.    Deacons — 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


455 


A.  S.  Copley  and  J.  H.  Blaser.  Granted  credentials — C.  T. 
Luce.    W.  H.  Bucks  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  Columbus,  S.  P.  Spreng,  presiding  elder ;  Cleve- 
land, W.  H.  Bucks ;  Tiffin,  A.Vandersal;  Fremont,  E.  B.  Crouse. 

1885.  Michigan  Conference,  lona,  Mich.,  April  2.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president;  F.  Klump,  secretary.  Died— P.  Swilly. 
Licensed — A.  Norton,  F.  C.  Berger,  W.  Snyder  and  J.  J. 
Marshall.  Ordained  elder — W.  H.  Wagner.  Deacons — A. 
Winter  and  L.  Gingerich. 

Districts:  Monroe,  J.  H.  Keeler,  presiding  elder;  lona,  J. 
M.  Haug;  Detroit,  S.  Copley;  North  Michigan,  F.  Mueller. 

1885.  Nebraska  Conference,  West  Point,  Neb.,  March  26. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  A.  Fisher,  secretary.  Licensed — 
M.  Miller.  Ordained  elders — C.  Suhr  and  W.  H.  Althouse. 
Deacons — H.  Wegner  and  F.  L.  Wiegert. 

Districts:    Fremont,  J.  P.  Just,  presiding  elder;  Hastings, 

F,  Backemeyer. 

1885.  Platte  River  Conference,  Blue  Springs,  Neb.,  March 
13.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  B.  C.  Oyler,  secretary. 
Licensed — J.  M.  Humbert,  B.  F.  Rogers,  N.  J.  Kirkpatrick, 
T.  Leland  and  J.  W.  Nye.  Ordained  elder — T.  W.  Serf. 
Deacon — W.  D.  Stambach.  E.  L.  Kiplinger,  of  the  Indiana 
Conference,  was  received. 

C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder  of  Conference  District. 

1885.  Erie  Conference,  Allegheny,  Pa.,  March  5.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Licensed — J. 
Elrich,  F.  Rothert  and  T.  C.  Meckel.    Ordained  elder — J. 

G.  Zeigler.  Deacons — H.Wiegand,  H.  Huebner,  E.  Koehne 
and  W.  Stadhelder.  H.  Cordes  went  to  the  California  Con- 
ference. 

Districts:  Cleveland,  C.  F.  Negele,  presiding  elder;  Pitts- 
burg, C.  L.  Witt. 

1885.  Atlantic  Conference,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  April  30. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  J.  F.  Grob,  secretary.  Licensed — 
P.  Blank  and  G.  Hauser.  Ordained  elder — A.  L.  Yeakel. 
Deacon — G.  Redman.  C.  B.  Fliehr  died.  Granted  creden- 
tials— A.  F.  Leopold. 

H.  Guelich,  presiding  elder  of  Conference  District. 

1885.  New  York  Conference,  Utica,  N.  Y.,  March  12. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  R.  Reuber,  secretary.  Located — 
M.  Yauch.     J.  Kaechele,  of  the  Germany  Conference,  was 


456  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS 

received.  Licensed — A.  A.  Holswarth,  B.  Miller,  W.  Schoep- 
FLEiN,  H.  Merle  and  W.  Merle.  Ordained  elders — L.  Hein- 
MiLLER  and  D.  Miller.  J.  Schaaf  and  D.  Fisher  were  super- 
annuated. 

Districts  :  Albany,  C.  F.  Schoepflein,  presiding  elder  ; 
Rochester,  A.  Holswarth;  Buffalo,  M.  Pfitzinger. 

1885.  Canada  Conference,  New  Hamburg,  Ont.,  April  i6. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  C.  F.  Braun,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  T.  Hauch  and  D.  H.  Mover.  Ordained  elder — S.  B.  Kraft. 
Deacons — S.  R.  Knechtel,  F.  S.  Spies  and  G.  B.  Braun.  S.  L. 
Umbach  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts:  South,  J.  J.  Kliphart,  presiding  elder;  North,  S. 
L.  Umbach;  West,  J.  Umbach;  Ottawa,  S.  N.  Moyer. 

1885.  Indiana  Conference,  South  Bend,  Ind.,  March  26. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  H.  Arlen,  secretary.     Licensed — 

G.  Streicher,  E.  Myers  and  D.  D.  Speicher.  Ordained  elder 
— J.  E.  Smith.  Deacons — P.  A.  Orth,  J.  C.  Stoops,  L.  S. 
Fisher,  W.  H.  Brightmyer,  R.  Raney  and  C.  Hansing.  Granted 
credentials — W.  Koenig  and  E.  L.  Kiplinger.  E.  Weishaar, 
of  the  Germany  Conference,  was  admitted.  Died — F.  Hoff- 
man (local). 

Districts:  Elkhart,  C.  C.  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder; 
Fort  Wayne,  D.  S.  Oakes ;  Indianapolis,  J.  Berger. 

1885.  South  Indiana  Conference,  Carmi,  111.,  March  19. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  W.  G.  Braeckley,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— C.  Doering.  Ordained  elders — G.  M.  Hallwachs  and 
F.  Theiss. 

Districts :  Evansville,  J.  Kaufman,  presiding  elder ;  Olney, 
F.  Schweitzer. 

1885.  Minnesota  Conference,  Winona,  Minn.,  April  30. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  H.  Ohs,  secretary.  Licensed — 
C.  F.  Kachel,  O.  Shultz  and  J.  Graeben.    Ordained  elders — 

H.  Isker  and  G.  J.  Schmidt.  Deacons — G.  H.  Siebold  and 
W.  Walter.     Granted  credentials — M.  Knopf. 

Districts:  St.  Paul,  H.  E.  Linse,  presiding  elder;  Minneap- 
olis, A.  Strohmeier ;  Mankato,  H.  Bunse. 

1885.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  April  2. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  E.  B.  Utt,  secretary.  Died — 
S.  Hoover.  Licensed— J.  V.  Hummel,  T.  Fee,  N.  Day,  N.  B. 
NiEBEL,  J.  A.  Hornberger  and  S.  Smith.  Ordained  elders — 
J.  WiRTH,  S.  A.  Waltoi?  and  J.  Buck.     Deacons— G.  W.  Mul- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


45T 


LEN,  C.  Knoll,  G.  F.  Hcilman  and  W.  Piper.  D.  H.  Kooker, 
because  of  ill-health,  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and 
J.  H.  Yaggv  was  re-elected  and  E.  B.  Utt  newly  elected  to 
the  office. 

Districts:  Cedar  Rapids,  E.  B.  Utt,  presiding  elder;  Des 
Moines,  J.  H.  Yaggy. 

1885.  Iowa  Conference,  Dysart,  Iowa,  April  i6.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president;  E.  J.  Shultz,  secretary.  Ordained 
elders — G.  Brandstetter,  J.  D.  Schaible  and  H.  W.  Hartman. 
Deacons — S.  L.  Staebler  and  W.  J.  Schmalle. 

Districts:  Dubuque,  H.  Kleinsorge,  presiding  elder ;  Ackley, 
H.  Lageschulte;  Des  Moines,  J.  Henn. 

1885.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  April  23. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  J.  L.  Runkel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— R.  EiLERT,  A.  LuTz,  H.  LuTZ,  J.  Trautman,  C.  W. 
Wilson,  C.  Punzel  and  F.  A.  Mundt.  Ordained  elders — M. 
Gauerke,  J.  Nickel  and  W.  H.  Messersmith.  Deacons — C. 
Shauer,  G.  Reichert>  F.  Krueger  and  H.  M.  Schuerman. 
Granted  credentials — J.  P.  Viel. 

Districts:  Milwaukee,  G.  Fritsche,  presiding  elder;  Fon  du 
Lac,  C.  F.  Zimmerman ;  Madison,  C.  F.  Brendel ;  Portage,^ 
H.  Schelp. 

1885.  Kansas  Conference,  Camp  Creek,  Kan.,  March  19. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Died — 
W.  Heiser  (local).  Granted  credentials — L.  C.  Schnacke. 
L.  E.  Becker,  W.  Wolthousen  and  W.  H.  Rosenberg  were 
received.  Licensed — E.  Brown,  G.  Wilson,  M.  C.  Platz,  W. 
Stauffer  and  J.  K.  Young.  Ordained  deacons — T.  R.  Man- 
inga,  L.  E.  Becher  and  J.  W.  Kaiser.  H.  Mattill  was  re- 
elected presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Holton,  H.  Mattill,  presiding  elder  ;  Kansas  City, 
J.  Wuerth  ;  Newton,  J.  H.  Tobias. 

1885.  Dakota  Conference, Casselton,  Dak.,  May  15.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president;  F.  F.  Meyer,  secretary.  Licensed — 
J.  Price,  A. Geyman  W.Green  and  H.Wolf.  Ordained  elders — 
L.  S.  Koch,  P.  Laux  and  W.  Tesch.  Deacons — W.  Suckow,  R. 
W.  Teichman  and  A.  Ortli.    Granted  credentials — F.  C.  Yenny. 

Districts :  Fargo,  A.  Huelster,  presiding  elder ;  Yankton, 
A.  Knebel. 

1885.  Oregon  Conference,  Portland, Ore.,  May  23.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary.    Ordained  elder — 


458  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


H.  I.  BiTTNER.  Deacons — A.  R.  Johnson  and  Joseph  Taylor. 
H.  Shuknecht  was  received. 

J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder  of  Conference  District. 

1885.  California  Conference,  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  May 
29.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  F.  W.  Fisher,  secretary.  H. 
Brauer,  J.  M.  ScHAEFELE  and  H.  Cordes  were  received.  R. 
Stahli  was  dismissed.  T.  Suhr  resigned  the  office  of  presiding 
elder  and  H.  Brauer  was  elected  in  his  stead. 

H.  Brauer,  presiding  elder  of  Conference  District. 

Notes — The  year  1885  was  in  many  particulars  an  eventful 
one.  In  December,  1884,  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  accompaniedby  his 
wife,  started  from  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  for  Japan.  He  remained 
a  considerable  length  of  time  in  the  Orient,  and  in  his  episcopal 
capacity,  made  some  radical  changes  in  the  management  of  the 
mission.  His  official  report  to  the  Board  of  Missions  gave  rise 
to  very  serious  misunderstandings  which  eventuated  in  an  acrimo- 
nious controversy  respecting  his  attitude  toward  several  of  the 
missionaries,  and  especially  towards  the  Superintendent,  J. 
Hartzler.  The  consequences  of  this  report  are  inseperably  con- 
nected with  subsequent  events  of  the  greatest  moment  in  the 
history  of  the  church.  Bishop  Esher  returned  by  the  Western 
route,  thus  circumnavigating  the  globe.  On  his  return  he  stopped 
sufficiently  long  in  Europe  to  hold  the  German  and  Swiss  Con- 
ferences in  the  beginning  of  June. 

The  annual  report  of  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society,  shows  that  the  church  supported  this  year  443 
missions  in  the  homeland,  supplied  with  435  missionaries.  The 
number  of  new  missions  located  was  53.  These  missions  sus- 
tained 742  Sunday-schools,  with  8,581  officers  and  teachers  and 
42,425  scholars.  The  numbers  of  conversions  on  these  missions 
was  5,123  and  the  number  of  accessions  6,871.  The  receipts 
of  the  Missionary  Treasury  were  in  round  numbers  $114,000, 
which  was  less  than  the  previous  years.  The  debt  had  increased 
to  over  $41,000. 

The  East  Pennsylvania  Conference,  at  its  session  of  1885, 
established  a  mission  in  the  state  of  Florida,  with  Rev.  J.  L. 
Guinther  as  missionary.  In  midwinter  1886,  Rev.  J.  C.  Horn- 
berger,  a  presiding  elder  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  made  the 
first  official  visit  to  the  mission,  at  which  time  the  first  three 
Evangelical  Churches  in  that  state  were  dedicated.  The  first 
at  Oriole,  Jan.  2,  1886.     The  second  a  re-opening  of  a  church 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


459 


purchased  from  another  society  at  Bronson,  Jan.  9th.  The 
at  Fairmount,  Jan.  i6th.  The  work  was  visited  about  a 
year  later  by  Bishop  R.  Dubs. 

At  the  General  Conference  of  1883,  a  Normal  Course  of 
study,  similar  to  the  Chautauqua,  was  recommended  for  home 
study,  with  special  regard  to  the  needs  of  Sunday-school  work- 
ers. The  editors  of  the  Sunday-school  literature  were  author- 
ized to  prepare  the  series  of  books  necessary  and  arrange  for  the 
formation  of  classes  throughout  the  church,  and  the  granting  of 
suitable  diplomas  upon  the  completion  of  the  course.  The 
series  consisted  of  ten  small  hand-books,  written  by  various 
ministers  of  the  church,  and  covered  pretty  thoroughly  the 
field  of  Biblical  knowledge.  These  books  made  their  appear- 
ance at  irregular  intervals  during  this  year,  (1885),  the  last 
volume  being  issued,  near  the  close  of  the  year.  The  Normal 
Plan  met  with  general  favor,  and  many  classes  were  formed. 

Biographical. — The  ministerial  death  roll  this  year  was  quite 
large.  Although  most  of  the  following  names  occur  in  the  pro- 
ceedings of  their  respective  conferences,  we  summarize  them 
here  for  ready  reference,  with  place  of  death  and  age.  Jos. 
Ebert,  Ohio,  77  ;  Jos.  Erb,  Brookrille,  111.,  53  ;  Charles 
Erhardt,  Orange  Co.,  Florida,  48;  C.  B.  Fliehr,  Phila.,  Pa., 
6i  ;  Frank  Frech,  Hancock  Co.,  O.,  76;  Thos.  George, 
Burgoon,  O.,  56;  Wm.  Colb,  Laport,  Iowa,  64;  H.  Major, 
Buttsville,  N.  J.,  76  ;  Solomon  Neitz,  Reading,  Pa.,  64  ;  E.  L. 
Over,  Coshocton,  O.,  43  ;  Daniel  Ross,  Lackawanna  Co., 
Pa.,  83;  Phillip  Schwilly,  Lima,  Ind.,  83;  H.  Shoe.maker, 
Elgin,  111.,  49;  Jacob  Smith,  Somerset,  Pa.,  34;  F.  R.  Toth- 
ero,  Marshallville,  Ind.,  62  ;  David  Tobias,  Washington,  111., 
79;  Geo.  Zellhcefer,  Grand  Junction,  Iowa,  67;  J.  G.  Esher, 
(brother  of  Bishop  Esher),  born  in  Germany  1816,  entered  the 
ministry  in  Illinois,  1848,  served  as  presiding  elder,  both  in  the 
Illinois  and  Wisconsin  Conferences.    Died  in  Illinois. 

1886.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Reading,  Pa.,  Feb.  24.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  C.  S.  Brevfogel,  secretary.  Died — 
Geo.  Miller  and  A.  C.  Major.  Licensed  to  preach — J.  D. 
Acker,  J.  B.  Esenwein,  G.  A.  Knerr,  H.  Dutill,  T.  S.  Kresge, 
W.  R.  Fluck,  and  J.  K.  Freed.  Granted  deacon's  orders — H. 
A.  Smith,  A.  H.  Snyder  and  I.  U.  Rover.  Elder's — H.  M. 
Wingerd,  I.  F.  Heisler,  C.  D.  Dreher,  and  J.  S.  Over- 
holtzer.    Granted  credentials — D.  G.  Reinhold.    S.  C.  Brey- 


460  EVANGELICAL  ASSOClATlOir  AUNALS. 


FOGEL  was  newly,  and  C.  S.  Haman  and  C.  K.  Fehr  were  re- 
elected presiding  elders.  Father  Francis  Hoffman  was  super- 
annuated after  60  years  of  labor  in  the  work  of  the  Lord  "  un- 
interruptedly." 

Districts  :  Philadelphia,  C.  K.  Fehr,  presiding  elder;  Allen- 
town,  C.  S.  Breyfogel  ;  Reading,  J.  C.  Hornberger  ;  Lebanon, 
A.  M.  Stirk ;  Pottsville,  C.  S.  Haman  ;  Millersburg,  B.  J. 
Smoyer. 

1886.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Millheim  Pa.,  March  4th. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  E.  Swengel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— E.  S.  Bollinger,  G.  Gallagher,  F.  S.  Norman,  A. 
Williamson,  C.  J.  Dick,  M.  S.  Thomas,  C.  D.  Moore  and  J. 
Womeldorf.  Ordained  deacons — E.  O.  Goodling  and  T.  A. 
Shortiss.  Elders — J.  R.  Sechrist,  J.  H.  Welch,  J.  D.  Stover, 
H.  S.  Bason,  S.  M.  Mountz,  H.  A.  Benfer,  J.  D.  Shortiss 
and  A.  W.  Swengel.  Dr.  J.  C.  Hummer,  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  was  received.  S.  T,  Buck,  W.  M.  Croman 
and  A.  W.  Maxwell,  withdrew. 

Districts  :  York,  M.  J.  Carothers,  presiding  elder  ;  Juniata, 
J.  M.  Ettinger ;  Lewisburg,  S.  W.  Seibert  ;  Williamsport,  W. 
E.  Detwiler. 

1886.  Pittsburg  Conference,  East  Liberty,  O.,  April  isth. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  W.  Domer,  secretary.  Licensed 
— W.  W.  Elrick,  J.  McAllister,  P.  Devaux,  A.  J.  Beale,  J. 
A.  Shaffer  and  J.  C.  Hadlock.  Ordained  elders — C.  H. 
Miller,  A.  C.  Miller,  J.  H.  Voght,  and  S.  J.  Caton.  Dea- 
cons— A.  B.  Day  and  A.  W.  Bricklev.  Died — J.  Smith.  R. 
D.  Dalzell  took  credentials,  also  S.  B.  Kring,  who  went  to 
the  Indiana  Conference.  F.  P.  Savlor  was  newly  elected  pre- 
siding elder. 

Districts  :  Franklin,  F.  P.  Saylor,  presiding  elder  ;  Pittsburg, 
J.  D.  Domer;  Alleghany,  J.  A.  Rohland;  Somerset,  D.  K.  Lavan. 

1886.  Ohio  Conference,  Westerville,  O.,  Sept.  16.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  A.  C.  Stull,  secretary.  Died — F.  Frech. 
O.  F.  CoLWELL  was  licensed.  Deacons  orders  were  granted — 
P.  Cocklin  and  E.  Spreng.  Elders — A.  N.  McCaulv,  J.  S. 
Fitterer  and  J.  B.  Kaxaga.  H.  J.  Bowman  took  credentials. 
John  Stull  was  newly  and  E.  B.  Grouse  was  re-elected  presid- 
ing elder.  Father  A.  Lcehner,  the  oldest  preacher  of  the  con- 
ference, delivered  a  sermon  commemorative  of  the  semi-centen- 
nial of  the  organization  of  the  conference. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


461 


Districts  :  Columbus,  J.  Stull,  presiding  elder  ;  Cleveland, 
W.  H.  Bucks  ;  Tiffin,  E.  B.  Grouse  ;  Fremont,  A.  Vandersal. 

1886.  Michigan  Conference,  Reed  City,  April  i.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president;  F.  Klump, secretary.  Died — Benj.  Keller. 
Licensed — W.  Gamersfelder,  L.  B.  Felix,  J.  M.  Bittner 
and  D.  Strohl.  Ordained  elder — F.  Walters.  Deacons  G. 
Johnson,  C.  Krulger,  L.  V.  Soldan,  P.  Scheurer,  J.  A. 
SwENK,  A.  Bogen,  J.  C.  Dietrich  and  C.  Brown.  A.  Halm- 
HUBER,  of  the  Germany,  P.  Alles,  of  the  Canada  and  F. 
Kraushaar,  of  the  Illnois  Conferences,  were  received. 

Districts  :  Monroe,  S.  Copley,  presiding  elder ;  St.  Joseph, 

G.  A.  Hettler ;  Flint,  C.  C.  Staffield  ;  Reed  City,  E.  Weiss. 
1886.    Erie  Conference,  Cleveland,  O.,  March  4.  Bishop 

R.  Dubs,  president  ;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Died — A.  Born- 
heimer.    Located — W.  F.  Zander  and  J.  Vogel.    Licensed — 

H.  Wendt.  Ordained  elder — C.  Wohlgemuth.  Deacons — 
C.  Neuendorf,  H.  Fuessner,  C.  Klaholtz  and  J.  E.  Moeller. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  C.  F.  Negele,  presiding  elder ;  Pitts- 
burg;  C.  L.  Witt. 

1886.  New  York  Conference,  Batavia,  N.  Y.,  March  11. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  J.  Reuber,  secretary.  Died — 
M.  Yauch.  Ordained  elder — J.  M.  Schlagenhauf.  Deacon 
— G.   ScHLOERB.    Licensed — A.   Stark  and  A.  Holzworth. 

Districts  :  Albany,  C.  F.  Schoefflein,  presiding  elder ;  Ro- 
chester, A.  Holzwarth  ;  Buffalo,  M.  Pfitzinger. 

1886.  Canada  Conference,  Wallace, Ont.,  April  15.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  C.  F.  Braun,  secretary.  Licensed — 
A.  GcEBEL,  J.  G.  Litt,  J.  H.  Grenzenbach,  G.  F.  Braun  and 
C.  Finkbiner.  Ordained  elder — L.  H.  Wagoner.  Granted 
credentials — P.  Alles.  M.  C.  Frey  and  A.  T.  Shuttler  were 
received.    J.  Umbach  was  re-elected  paesiding  elder. 

Districts  :  South,  J.  J.  Kliphart,  presiding  elder  ;  West,  J. 
Umbach  ;  North,  S.  L.  Umbach  ;  Ottawa,  S.  N.  Moyer. 

1886.  Atlantic  Conference,  Easton,  Pa.,  April  29.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president  ;  J.  F.  Grob,  secretary.  Licensed — H. 
Sturm.  Ordained  deacons — R.  Lau  and  F.  Frank.  Died — G. 
Redman.  J.  A.  Rcesch,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
was  received. 

1886.  Indiana  Conference,  Dayton.  O.,  April  i.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  H.  Arlen,  secretary.  Licensed — H. 
E.  Meyers,  H.  Neff  and  L.  Carroll.    Ordained  deacons — 


462  EVANOELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


F.  RouscH  and  G.  B.  Holdeman.  M.  Krueger,  located.  S. 
B.  Kring,  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference,  was  received.  Granted 
credentials — G.  Streicher  and  D.  E.  Hoover. 

Districts  :  Elkhart,  C.  C.  Baumgardner,  presiding  elder ; 
Ft.  Wayne,  D.  S.  Oakes  ;  Indianapolis,  J.  Berner. 

1886.  South  Indiana  Conference,  Mt.  Carmel,  111.,  March 
II.  Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president;  W.  G.  Br^ckly,  sec- 
retary.    Ordained  elder — E.  E.  Nitsche. 

Districts  :  Evansville,  J-  Kaufman,  presiding  elder  ;  Olney, 
F.  Schweitzer. 

1886.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Appleton,  Wis.,  April  29. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president  ;  J.  L.  Runkel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— E.  Gassman,  H.  Brockhouse,  C.  Zcerb,  O.  Barow- 
askie  and  F.  Zimmerm.a.n.  Ordained  elders — L.  M.  Siewert 
and  G.  F.  Kiekhoefer.  Deacons — H.  E.  Erffmever  and  H. 
Umbreit.     Granted  credentials — C.  Mueller. 

Districts  :  Milwaukee,  G.  Fritsche,  presiding  elder  ;  Fon  du 
Lac,  C.  F.  Zimmerman  ;  Madison,  J.  C.  Brendel  ;  Portage,  H. 
Schelp. 

1886.  Minnesota  Conference,  near  Courtland,  Minn,  April 
29.  Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president  ;  H.  Ohs,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— W.  J.  Vetter,  F.  Walter,  A.  Sahr  and  R.  Mueller. 
Died — G.  J.  Schmidt.  Ordained  deacons — L.  S.  Staff,  H.  A. 
Seder  and  F.  Arut.  A.  Knabel  was  received.  Granted  cre- 
dentials-—  S.  Bean  and  W.  Kaun.  A.  Strohmeier  was  re- 
elected presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  St.  Paul,  H.  E.  Linse,  presiding  elder  ;  Minnesota, 
A.  Strohmeier  ;  Mankato,  H.  Bunse. 

1886.  Illinois  Conference,  Freeport,  111.,  Aprils.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president  ;  M.  Stamm,  German,  and  W.  Caton,  Eng- 
lish, secretaries.  Died — J.  G.  Esher,  H.  Schumaker  and  D. 
Tobias.  Licensed — C.  F.  Kiest,  J.  H.  Keagel,  P.  H.  Hikes, 
D.  W.  Kerr,  J.  Merlev,  S.  Hoffman  and  G.  W.  Nickolai. 
Ordained  elder — J.  H.  Johnson.  Deacons — W.  L.  Waeker, 
D.  F.  Fox,  J.  W.  Facer  and  W.  A.  Schultz.  J.  Zipperer,  of 
the  German  Conference,  was  received.  Granted  credentials — 
F.  Kraushaar. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  F.  Busse,  presiding  elder  ;  Naperville, 
J.  Schneider  ;  Freeport,  Wm.  Huelster  ;  Elgin,  D.  B.  Byers  ; 
Mendota,  H.  Messner  ;  Peoria,  A.  Fuessele. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


463: 


1886.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Columbus  Junction,  Iowa, 
April  I.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  B.  H.  Niebel,  sec- 
retary. Licensed — G.  W.  McCracken,  C.  E.  Sheldon,  L.  A. 
Jones,  E.  C.  Wallace  and  A.  L.  Smith.  Ordained  elders — 
A.  E.  MosHER  and  B.  H.  Niebel.  Deacons — F.  S.  Locke,  D. 
T.  Kahl  and  L.  Staufacher.  Granted  credentials — J.  Hout, 
A.  T.  WiLKiNS,  T.  S.  Fink,  W.  J.  Conard,  T.  Fee,  D.  N.  Long 
and  M.  C.  Fry. 

Districts  :  Cedar  Rapids,  E.  B.  Utt,  presiding  elder  ;  Des 
Moines,  J.  H.  Yaggy. 

1886.  Iowa  Conference,  Cedar  Falls,  Iowa,  April  15. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  E.  J.  Shultz,  secretary.  Died 
— W.  KoLB  and  G.  Zellhofer.  Licensed — D.  S.  Staebler 
N.  Ramage  and  A.  L.  Bock.  Ordained  deacons — A.  Schmalle, 
A.  GoETZ,  G.  Knoche,  H.  Sessman  and  J.  Below.  Granted 
credentials — \V.  H.  Hartman.  H.  Lageschulte  and  M.  Grue- 
ner  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

Districts  :  Dubuque,  M.  Gruener,  presiding  elder  ;  Ackley, 
J.  Henn  ;  Des  Moines,  H.  Lageschulte. 

1886.  Dakota  Conference,  Wittenberg,  Dakota,  May  6. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  F.  F.  Meyer,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  A.  Young  and  B.  F.  Snyder.  Ordained  deacon 
— J.  Price  and  J.  F.  Buente.  Elders — A.  Blauchard  and  A. 
Berreth.  a.  Knebel  resigned  the  ofifice  of  presiding  elder  and 
G.  W.  Hielscher  was  elected  to  the  same.  Granted  credentials 
— A.  Knebel. 

Districts  :  Fargo,  A.  Huelster,  presiding  elder  ;  Yankton, 
G.  W.  Hielscher. 

1886.  Platte  River  Conference,  near  Aurora,  Neb.,  March 
II.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  E.  L.  Kiplinger,  secretary. 
Ordained  deacons — S.  B.  Dillow  and  G.  M.  Andrews.  Elders 
— J.  H.  Haldeman,  S.  J.  Shupp,  N.  F.  Kletzing  and  J.  Rich- 
ards. C.  J.  Miller,  T.  J.  Fink,  J.  Haut,  of  the  Des  Moines, 
and  G.  Carothers,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conferences,  were  re- 
ceived.   C.  W,  Anthony,  presiding  elder. 

1886.  Nebraska  Conference,  Sutton,  Neb.,  March  25. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  A.  Fischer,  secretary.  Or- 
dained deacon — F.  Beckman.  Elders — L.  Neitzel  and  I 
Laiply.  Licensed — F.  Martin  and  C.  Schneider.  A.  Wich- 
MAN  and  G.  Streicher.  F.  Backemeyer  was  re-elected,  and  M. 
Inhelder  was  newly  elected  presiding  elder. 


464 


EY ANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Districts  :  Fremont,  F.  Backemeyer,  presiding  elder ;  Hast- 
ings, M.  Inhelder. 

1886.  Kansas  Conference,  Willow  Springs,  Kan.,  March 
1 8. — J.  J.  EsHER,  president  ;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Located 
— J.  G.  Pfeifer.  Died — C.  Ehrhart.  Licensed — S.  Luring, 
G.  J.  ScHMUCKER,  F.  M.  Peek,  R.  Brant,  W.  Shuerman  and  A. 
E.  Flickinger.  Ordained  elder — G.  E.  Dienst.  Deacons — A. 
Matill  and  W.  Wolthausen.  Granted  credentials — A.  M. 
Dreisbach.  J.  Neufer  and  S.  Miller,  of  the  Germany,  D.  G. 
Reinhold,  of  the  East  Pa.,  and  A.  U.  Platt,  of  the  Pittsburg 
Conferences,  were  received. 

Districts  :  Holton,  H.  Mattill,  presiding  elder  ;  Kansas  City, 
J.  Wuerth  ;  Newton,  J.  H.  Tobias. 

1886.  California  Conference,  Wilmington,  Cal.,  May  14. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president  ;  T.  Suhr,  secretary.  Licensed — 
G.  Gluntz.  Ordained  elder — J.  M.  Sch^efele.  Located — P. 
BoTT.  J.  Croassman  and  R.  Stahle  withdrew.  A.  Heinhaus, 
of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  was  received.  H.  Brauer,  pre- 
siding elder. 

1886.  Oregon  Conference,  Salem,  Oregon,  June  4.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  presiding  elder  ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary.  Licensed 
— H.  Pratt  and  J.  M.  Beauchamp.  A.  G.  Boyd  withdrew. 
J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder. 

Notes — In  the  corresponding  secretary's  annual  report  to 
the  Missionary  Society,  we  find  that  the  number  of  home  mis- 
sions for  this  year  was  459,  supplied  by  460  missionaries,  13 
missions  were  made  self-supporting,  while  46  new  missions  were 
constituted,  The  total  membership  on  these  missions  was  39,- 
905.  The  mission  Sunday-schools  numbered  743,  with  8,313 
officers  and  teachers,  and  43,513  scholars.  The  number  con- 
verted was  6,050,  and  6,593  accessions.  The  total  missionary 
receipts  from  all  sources  were  1124,255,  an  increase  of  overtg,- 
000  over  the  previous  year.  The  contributions  to  the  mission- 
ary treasury  by  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society,  was  11,422 
and  Children's  Day  collection,  J!;, 434. 

The  Society  having  established  an  Emigrant  Mission  last 
year,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  it  was  supplied  in  the  Spring  of 
this  year,  by  the  appointment  of  E.  Gl^eser. 

In  the  Spring  of  1885  the  Board  of  Missions  appointed  H. 
.ScHUKNECHT,  of  the  Michigan  Conference,  as  an  additional  mis- 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


465 


sionary  to  the  Pacific  Coast,  with  Washington  Territory  as  his 
field  of  labor.  He  met  with  good  success,  and  soon  established 
societies.  Bro.  Schuknecht  succeeded  in  erecting  the  first  Evan- 
gelical Church  at  Sassin,  Lincoln  County,  which  was  dedicated 
by  Rev.  J.  Bowersox,  July  25,  1886.  The  second  was  erected 
at  Wildrose  Prairie,  and  dedicated  some  months  after  the  first. 

Biographical — The  ministerial  death  roll  of  this  year,  both 
local  and  active,  is  as  follows  : 

Jacob  McQuillen,  local,  Dec.  12,  1885,  60,  Mo.;  M.  Yauch, 
itinerant,  Dec.  17,  1885,  40,  N.  Y.;  Geo.  J.  Miller,  local, 
Sept.  7,  1885,  83,  Pa.;  Mich.  F.  Maize,  local,  Feb.  11,  1886, 
72,  Pa.;  C.  L.  Wolf,  local,  Feb.  i,  i886,  35,  P.;  Mich.  Else, 
superannuated,  March  12,  1886,  70,  N.  Y. ;  Adam  R.  Shafer, 
itinerant,  April  15,  1886,  54,  Ind.;  Benj.  Keller,  local,  March 
23,  1886,  67,  Ohio  ;  G.  J.  Schmidt,  (killed  by  a  cyclone  while 
holding  service^,  itinerant,  April  14,  1886,  30,  Minn.;  B.  F. 
Anthony,  itinerant,  May  23,  1886,  42,  Pa.;  Brumm,  69,  Mich.; 
Geo.  Phillips,  local,  March  18,  1886,  86,  Pa.  ;J.  Schnell- 
bacher,  local,  May  16,  1886,  65,  Iowa  ;  M.  Alsbach,  local, 
Aug.  21,  1886,  73,  Minn.;  A.  K.  F.  Winter,  itinerant,  Aug. 
29,  25,  1886,  Mich.;  A.  FoRRY,  itinerant,  Aug.  22,  1886,  80, 
111.;  D.  Woodmansee,  local,  Aug.  26,  1886,  70,  Fla. ;  John 
Kreamer,  itinerant,  Aug.  14,  i886,  69,  Kan.  ;G.  Klepfer, 
local,  Sept.  21,  1886,  74,  Ind.;  Daniel  Eckert,  local,  Nov.  4, 
1886,  77,  Ohio  ;  Q.  E.  Knerr,  itinerant,  Nov.  12,  1886,  47,  Pa. 

1887.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Bangor,  Pa.,  Feb.  23.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  W.  A.  Leopold,  secretary.  Died — 
I.  E.  Knerr,  itinerant,  and  D.  Clouser.  local.  Ordained 
elders — F.  D.  Geary,  C.  J.  Warmkessel,  J.  Stermer,  Wm. 
Shuler,  a.  B.  Baylor,  A.  S.  Kline,  and  Hirakawa  Toyotsura, 
of  Japan.  Granted  credentials — W.  M.  Harris  and  D.  J. 
Ebert.  Licensed — J.  C.  Malseed,  G.  McCloud  and  D.  T. 
Kostbnbader.  Father  F.  Krecker  was  superannuated  after  a 
half  century  of  active  service. 

Districts:  Philadelphia,  C.  K.  Fehr,  presiding  elder ;  Allen- 
town  ;  S.  C.  Breyfogel  ;  Reading,  J.  C.  Hornberger  ;  Lebanon, 
A.  M.  Stirk  ;  Pottsville,  C.  S.  Haman  ;  Millersburg,  B.  J. 
Smoyer. 

1887.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Baltimore,  Md.,  March  3. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president,  E.  Swengel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— Chas.  F.  Garrett,  H.  B.  Barshinger,  G.  L.  Mace, 


466  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


J.  D.  LiESTER,  H.  H.  Trumpfheller  and  D.  M.  Metzgar. 
Ordained  deacon — W.  L.  Beaumont,  C.  L.  Sones,  C.  V.  B. 
AuRAND,  E.  S.  Bollinger,  C.  D.  Moore,  M.  I.  Jamison,  E.  M. 
Beaver  and  Jazo  Takano,  of  Japan.  Elders— L.  E.  Crumb- 
ling, J.  B.  Fox,  and  J.  L.  Miller.  H.  W.  Buck  and  I.  M. 
Pines  were  newly,  and  M.  J.  Carothers  was  re-elected  pre- 
siding elder.  Granted  credentials — D.  P.  Kline  for  the  Platte 
River  Conference. 

Districts  :  York,  J.  M.  Ettinger,  presiding  elder  ;  Carlisle, 
S.  W.  Seibert  ;  Centre,  J.  M.  Pines  ;  Lewisburg,  M.  J.  Caroth- 
ers ;  Williamsport,  H.  W.  Buck. 

1887.  Erie  Conference,  Erie  Pa.,  March  3.  Bishop  J.  J. 
Esher,  president ;  R.  Mott,  secretary.  Licensed — Ralph  S. 
Dubs  and  Bunjiro  Inouve,  of  Japan.    Ordained  deacon — T. 

C.  Meckel.  Elders — E.  Koehne,  W.  Weigand  and  H.  Hueb- 
ner.    D.  Heininger  was  received. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  C.  F.  Negele,  presiding  elder  ;  Pitts- 
burg, C.  L.  Witt. 

1887.  New  York  Conference,  Lyons,  N.  Y.,  March  10. 
Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  J.  Reuber,  secretary.  Died — 
Mich.  Eis.  Licensed — F.  J.  Holzwarth.  Ordained  deacons 
H.  R.  HousT  and  A.  A.  Holzwarth.    Granted  credentials — J. 

M.  SCHLAGENHAUF. 

Districts:  Albany,  C.  F.  Shoepflein,  presiding  elder  ;  Roch- 
ester, A.  Holzworth  ;  Buffalo,  M.  Pfitzinger. 

1887.  Canada  Conference,  Hamilton,  Ont.,  April  14. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  C.  F.  Brown,  secretary.  Died 
— J.  Goetz.    Ordained  elder — S.  R.  Knechtel.    Deacons — H. 

D.  Mover,  G.  F.  Braun,  J.  H.  Grenzenbach  and  J.  Devitt. 
Licensed — W.  J.  Yeager  and  A.  Y.  Haist.  J.  J.  Klibhart, 
presiding  elder,  resigned  and  took  credentials. 

Districts  :  South,  S.  L.  Umbach,  presiding  elder  ;  West, 
Jos.  Umbach  ;  North,  S.  N.  Moycr. 

1887.  Atlantic  Conference,  New  York  City,  April  28. 
Bishop — J.  J.  Esher,  president  ;  J.  Yeakel,  secretary.  Died 
— G.  Redman.  Licensed — O.  Panton.  Ordained  elder — F. 
Egger.    Deacon — J.  Fenner. 

H.  Guelich,  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 

1887.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Zion  Church,  Venango  Cir- 
cuit, Pa.,  April  7.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president;  J.  W.  Do- 
MER,  secretary.  Licensed — J.  M.  Weaver,  G.  M.  Alshouse,  R. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


487 


B.  Perr  and  Dr.  J.  C.  Bowman.  Ordained  deacons — C.  F. 
Floto,  J.  Smith,  W.  H.  Cramer,  J.  C.  Leabhart,  J.  H.  Shimp 
and  C.  D.  Slagel.  Elders — F.  M.  Brickley,  F.  D.  Ellen- 
BEGER,  M.  V.  DeVaux,  G.  W.  Finnecy  and  G.  J.  Coleman. 
Died — G.  S.  Domer.  Granted  credentials — D.  F.  Platt  and 
J.  H.  VoGHT.    F.  J.  Strayer  was  received. 

Districts:  Franklin,  F.  P.  Saylor,  presiding  elder ;  Pittsburg, 
J.  D.  Domer ;  Allegheny,  I.  A.  Rohland  ;  Somerset,  D.  K. 
Levan. 

1887.  Ohio  Conference,  Cleveland,  O.,  Oct.  13.  Bishop 
T.  Bowman,  president ;  A.  C.  Stull,  secretary.  Died — Conrad 
Kring,  Daniel  Wonder  and  D.  Eckert.  Licensed — J.  M. 
Turner,  D.  M.  Yeagley,  E.  Behner  and  J.  Atkinson.  Or- 
dained elders — J.  H.  Bazer,  A.  S.  Copley  and  I.  M.  Houser. 
Deacons — A.  C.  Corfman,  W.  H.  Munk,  J.  H.  Ablett,  E. 
Loose  and  S.  Fry.  Granted  Credentials — G.  H.  Schneider. 
H.  B.  Hartzler  and  S.  L.  Wiest.  A.  J.  Gramley  was  re 
ceived.    A.  Vandersall  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Cleveland,  W.  H.  Bucks,  presiding  elder  ;  Colum- 
bus, J.  Stull ;  Tiffin,  E.  B.  Crouse  ;  Fremont,  A.  Vandersall. 

1887.  Michigan  Conference,  Park,  Mich.,  March  24. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president]  F.  Klump,  secretary.  Licensed 
— E.  Alles,  a.  Ostroth,  H.  Geringer,  C.  Weber,  E.  Roth, 
F.  Koehler  and  J.  D.  Baker.  Ordained  deacons — F.  E. 
Berger,  N.  Frye,  J.  J.  Marshall,  M.  W.  Snyder  and  C.  Vin- 
cent. Elder — F.  Craushaar.  Died — A.  Winter  and  P. 
Brown.  Granted  credentials — J.  H.  Keeler  and  E.  B.  Miller. 
S.  Copley  was  re-eleated  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Monroe,  S.  Copley,  presiding  elder  ;  Flint,  C. 

C.  Staffield  ;  Reed  City,  E.  Weiss  ;  St.  Joseph,  G.  A.  Hettler. 
1887.    South  Indiana    Conference,    Huntingburg,  Ind., 

March  7.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  G.  M.  Hallwachs, 
secretary.  Ordained  deacon — F.  Dauner.  Died — J.  Mode. 
J.  Kaufman  was  re-elected  presiding  elder.  Granted  credentials 
— M.  Koehl. 

Districts  :  Evansville,  F.  Schweitzer,  presiding  elder  ;  Olney, 
J.  Kaufman. 

1887.  Indiana  Conference,  Rochester,  Ind.,  March  31. 
Bishop  J.  J.  EsHER,  president  ;  H.  Arlen,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— C.  M.  Pierce,  M.  L.  Schidler,  D.  D.  Spangler,  F. 
L.  Snyder,  B.  J.  Fahnel,  S.  H.  Baumgardner,  A.  S.  Fisher, 


468  EVANGELICAL  ASSOGIATION  ANNALS. 


G.  Steininger,  M.  S.  Metzler  and  B.  Webb.  Ordained  dea- 
con— D.  D.  Speicher.  Elder — L.  S.  Fisher,  J.  E.  Stoops, 
R.  Rainy.  W.  H.  Brightmire  and  C.  F.  Mansing.  Died — A. 
ScHiEFER  and  O.  Kloepfer. 

Districts  :  Elkhart,  D.  S.  Oakes,  presiding  elder  ;  Ft.  Wayne, 
A.  Geist ;  Indianapolis,  J.  Berger. 

1887.  Illinois  Conference,  Peoria,  111.,  April  14.  Bishop  J. 
J.  Esher,  president;  Geo.  Vetter,  German,  and  W.  Caton,  Eng- 
lish secretaries.  Died — A.  FoRRY.  Licensed — P.  Ilgen,  W.  For- 
KEL,  J.  BuNTE,  F.  W.  Landwehr,  R.  Pfluege,  H.  Pieper,  a. 
Good,  A.  Mertz,  C.  S.  Lang,  J.  A.  Schweitzer,  F.  Neitz,  H. 
L.  Bechtol,  G.  Schwartz,  J.  W.  Michael,  E.  W.  Huelster 
and  H.  A.  Kramer.  Ordained  elders — O.  Brose,  S.  F.  Entorf, 
F.  Schwartz,  I.  Divan  and  G.  W.  Ballanger.  Deacons — G. 
Barth,  C.  Vaubel,  H.  H.  Thoren,  H.  Moser  and  J.  Divan. 

Districts  :  Chicago,  F.  Busse,  presiding  elder  ;  Naperville, 
J.  Schneider ;  Elgin,  D.  B.  Byers ;  Freeport,  Wm.  Huelster ; 
Mendota,  H.  Messner ;  Peoria,  A.  Fuessele. 

1887.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Belle  Plaine,  la.,  April  7. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  B.  H.  Niebel,  secretary.  Died — 
J.  Suellbacher  and  H.  Wissler.  Licensed — J.  W.  McCurdy, 
J.  Pritchard  and  W.  Force.  Ordained  elders — W.  Piper,  C. 
Knoll,  T.  M.  Evans  and  G.  W.  Mullen.  Deacons — N.  Day, 
N.  B.  Niebel  and  S.  Smith.    Credentials — A.  E.  Mosher. 

Districts  :  Cedar  Rapids,  E.  B.  Utt,  presiding  elder ;  Des 
Moines,  J-  H.  Yaggy. 

1887.  Iowa  Conference,  Waterloo,  la.,  April  14.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  F.  Berner,  secretary.  Licensed — L. 
Belzer,  J.  Staebler,  J.  DeWall,  A.  L.  Hauser  and  F.  Bentz. 
Ordained  elders — S.  L.  Staebler,  W.  J.  Schmalle  and  L.  F. 
Smith.    Credentials — H.  Hiebenthal. 

Districts  :  Dubuque,  M.  Gruener,  presiding  elder  ;  Ackley, 
J.  Henn ;  Des  Moines,  H.  Lageschulte. 

1887.  Wisconsin  Conference,  Racine,  Wis.,  April  23. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  J.  L.  Runkel,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  Hoffman,  H.  Goetz,  S.  Erffmeyer.  Ordained 
elders — F.  Krueger,  G.  Reichert,  T.  Shauer  and  W.  M. 
Schuerman.  Deacons  —  C.  W.  Wellsow,  C.  Punzel  F.  A. 
Mundt,  a.  Lutz,  J.  Trautman  and  C.  W.  Schleuter.  J.  C. 
Brendel  and  C.  F.  Zimmerman  were  newly,  and  M.  Witten- 
wyler  and  C.  Weiganu  were  re-elected  presiding  elders. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


469 


Districts  :  Milwaukee,  C.  F.  Zimmerman,  presiding  elder; 
Fond  du  Lac,  J.  C.  Brendel  ;  Madison,  M.  Wittenwyler  ;  Port- 
age, C.  Wiegand. 

1887.  Minnesota  Conference,  Minneapolis  Minn.,  April 
28.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  H.  Ohs,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— W.  YuEDES,  C.  W.  WoLTHAUSEN,  S.  B.  GoETZ  and 
J.  B.  Bauerfeind.  Ordained  elders — G.  Siebold.  Deacons — 
A.  IwAN,  J.  Erich,  C.  F.  Kachel,  O.  Schultz  and  Masetada 
ScHiMiDzu,  of  Japan.  Credentials — J.  Erich.  Augustus 
Huelster,  of  the  Dakota  Conference,  was  received.  H.  E. 
Linse  was  re-elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  St.  Paul,  A.  Strohmeier,  presiding  elder  ;  Minne- 
apolis, H.  E.  Linse,  Mankato,  H.  Bunse. 

1887.  Dakota  Conference,  Milbank,  Dak.,  May  5.  Bish- 
op R.  Dubs,  president  ;  F.  F.  Meyer,  secretary.  Licensed — 
H.  Lewis  and  G.  Liening.  Ordained  elders — W.  Luckow,  A. 
Oertli,  R.  W.  Teichman  and  H.  Loewen.  C.  Oertli  was 
elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Aberdeen,  G.  W.  Hielscher,  presiding  elder ; 
Fargo,  C.  Oertli. 

1887.  Kansas  Conference,  Jewell  City,  Kan.,  March  17. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  C.  Berner,  secretary.  Died — 
John  Kramer,*  W.  Elmer  and  M.  Albach.  Licensed — O. 
RoERiCH,  H.  HoLSKNABE,  C.  H.  Hartman  and  M.  Manshart. 
Deacons — E.  Brown  C.  W.  Stauffer,  A.  Ernst,  F.  Schue- 
MAN,  M.  C.  Platz,  J.  K.  Young,  M.  Walder  and  J.  K.  Elmer. 
Ordained  Elders — L.  E.  Becher  and  T.  R.  Naninga.  H.  J. 
Bowman  and  M.  W.  Harris  were  received.  J.  Wuerth  was 
elected  presiding  elder. 

Districts  :  Holton,  H.  Mattill,  presiding  elder ;  Kansas 
City,  J.  Wuerth  ;  Newton,  J.  H.  Tobias. 

1887.  Nebraska  Conference,  Swanton,  Neb.,  March  24. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  A.  Fischer,  secretary.    Licensed — 

E.  Marks,  J.  G.  Schwab,  F.  Doescher  and  C.  Fuehrer. 
Deacons — G.  Streicher.    Ordained  elders — H.  Wegner  and 

F.  L.  Wiegert.    Credentials — H.  Althouse. 

Districts  :  Hastings,  M.  Inhelder,  presiding  elder  ;  Fremont, 
F.  Backemeyer. 


*  Formerly  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference. 


470  E  V ANGELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ASNALS. 


1887.  Platte  River  Conference,  Dawson,  Neb.,  March  ii. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  F.  W.  Serf,  secretary.  Li- 
censed— J.  P.  Ash  and  S.  B.  Anderson.  Deacons — R.  H.  Mil- 
ker, J.  W.  Nye,  L.  L.  Brooker,  W.  L.  Dillow  and  G.  M.  An- 
drews. D.  P.  Kline  was  received.  Died — Daniel  Wonder.  * 
C.  W.  Anthony,  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 

1887.  Oregon  Conference,  Pleasant  Dale,  Ore.,  May  28. 
J.  BowERSOX,  president ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary.  Ordained 
elder — A.  R.  Johnson.  Credentials —  J.  A.  Hollenbach,  for 
the  Central  Pa.,  and  F.  J.  Strayer,  for  the  Pittsburg  Confer- 
ence. J.  M.  Dick,  of  the  Central  Pa.;  L.  S.  Fisher,  of  the  In- 
diana, and  C.  J.  Miller,  of  the  Platte  River  Conferences,  were 
received.  Also  M.  H.  Jackson,  J.  H.  Baumerman  and  P.  Des- 
granges,  of  the  U.  B.  Church. 

J.  Bowersox,  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 

1887.  California  Conference,  Santa  Ana,  Cal.,  May  13. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president ;  T.  Suhr,  secretary.  Deacon — 
J.  M.  Price.  F.  A  Frase,  of  the  Iowa,  and  A.  Althouse,  of 
the  Nebraska  Conferences,  were  received.  J.  Croasman  with- 
drew. 

H.  Brauer,  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 
Note — The  number  of  missions  reported  at  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  Parent  Missionary  Society  was  542,  an  increase  of 
115  during  the  quadrennium.  The  number  of  missionaries  was 
552  ;  total  membership  of  missions  46,531,  an  increase  of  10,- 
764  during  the  past  four  years.  These  missions  now  sustained 
1,057  Sunday-schools,  with  9,904  officers  and  teachers  and 
63,733  scholars  ;  6,609  souls  were  converted,  and  8,770  united 
with  the  church.  The  sum  of  $127,927  was  contributed  to 
the  cause,  of  which  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society  contri- 
buted $1,824. 


*  He  was  converted  under  Albright  and  co-laborers.    See  Biog. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


Nineteenth  General  Conference,  Held  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
September  i,  1887. 

1887.  General  Conference,  Nineteenth  Session,  Buffalo, 
N.  Y.,  September  i.  The  presiding  officers  were  :  Bishops  J.  J. 
EsHER,  R.  Dubs  and  T.  Bowman,  secretary,  W.  Horn  ;  as- 
sistant secretaries,  S.  P.  Spreng,  C.  F.  Negle,  J.  C.  Brendel 
and  S.  L.  Umbach.  Rev.  J.  H.  Becker,  fraternal  delegate 
from  the  General  Conference  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
delivered  a  fraternal  address,  which  was  suitably  recognized  by 
the  conference.  H.  Bucks  and  Joseph  Harlacher,  two  of  the 
oldest  ministers  of  the  church,  sent  fraternal  letters  to  the 
conference.  The  Committee  on  Memorials  reported  on  the 
death  of  Solomon  Neitz,  I.  E.  Knerr,  G.  S.  Domer,  S. 
DicKOVER  and  Charles  Hammer. 

Authority  was  given  for  the  formation  of  the  Texas  Con- 
ference. 

Rev.  C.  S.  Breyfogel  was  elected  as  fraternal  delegate  to 
the  next  session  of  the  General  Conference  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren Church. 

The  Missionary  Messenger,  a  monthly  periodical  hitherto 
published  by  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society,  was  taken  under 
the  auspices  of  the  church.  The  indebtedness  of  the  mission- 
ary society  was  reported  to  be  over  $40,000. 

The  election  of  general  officers  resulted  as  follows  :  Bishops, 
J.  J.  Esher,  T.  Bowman  and  R.  Dubs  ;  publishers,  M.  Lauer 
and  H.  Mattill  ;  editor  of  the  Chrisiliche  Botschafter,  W. 
Horn  ;  editor  of  The  Evangelical  Messenger,  S.  P.  Spreng  ; 
editor  of  Evangelical  Magazine  and  German  Sunday-school  lit- 
erature, C.  A.  Thomas  ;  editor  of  Living  Epistle  and  English 
Sunday-school  literature,  J.  C.  Hornberger  ;  editor  of  publi- 

471 


472  EYANQELICAL  ASSOCIATION  AlfNALS. 


cations  in  Germany,  G.  Fuessele  ;  publisher  in  Germany,  J. 
Waltz  ;  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society, 
Samuel  Heininger  ;  general  statistical  secretary  and  treasurer 
of  the  Missionary  Society,  W.  Yost  ;  superintendent  of  Eben- 
ezer  Orphan  Home,  C.  K.  Fehj^. 

Charges  of  "  unchristian  conduct,  official  misconduct,  and 
grievous  official  offenses  as  a  minister,  and  as  editor  in  our 
church,"  were  brought  against  Rev.  H.  B.  Hartzler,  editor  of 
the  Evangelical  Messenger.    The  plantiffs  were  M.  Pfitzinger, 

G.  Vetter  and  E.  B.  Esher.  The  trial  began  on  the  seventh  day 
of  the  conference  and  continued  with  but  little  interruption  until 
the  eighteenth  day,  when  a  verdict  of  "guilty"  was  reached. 
The  committee  appointed  to  formulate  a  verdict  reported  the 
following,  which  was  accepted: 

"  Whereas,  The  specification  under  the  charges  against  Rev. 

H.  B.  Hartzler  have  been  sustained  by  the  General  Confer- 
ence, and  in  view  that  this  involves  the  severest  penalty  in  the 
jurisdiction  of  our  church  for  such  offense,  but  the  General 
Conference  prefers  to  pronounce  the  mildest  sentence,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  Rev.  H.  B.  Hartzler  be  deposed  from  the 
office  as  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger." 

Delegates  :  East  Pa.  Conference — A.  M.  Stirk,  B.  J.  Smover, 

C.  S.  Haman,  S.  S.  Chubb,  S.  C.  Breyfogel,  D.  A.  Medlar, 
J.  C.  Hornberger,  R.  M.  Lichtenwalner,  J.  K.  Sevfrit. 
Central  Pa.  Conference — M.  J.  Carothers,  I.  M.  Pines,  J.  M. 
Ettinger,  S.  W.  Seibert,  U.  F.  Swengel,  E.  Kohr,  H.  W. 
Buck,  W.  E.  Detweiler.  Pittsburg  Conference — J.  D.  Domer, 
F.  P.  Saylor,  W.  M.  Stanford,  J.  A.  Rohland,  D.  K.  Lavan, 
T.  Bach,  H.  B.  Summers,*  L.  M.  Bover.*  Illinois  Confer- 
ence— A.  Fuessele,  F.  Busse,  J.  Schneider,  W.  Huelster, 

D.  B.  Byers,  W.  Caton,  C.  A.  Paeth,  C.  Lindeman,  H.  Mess- 
ner.  Ohio  Conference — A.  Vandersall,  W.  H.  Bucks,  E.  B. 
Crouse,  S.  p.  Spreng,  J.  Stull,  D.  Strohman,  W.  Yost,*  J. 
A.  Hensel.*  Michigan  Conference — G.  A.  Hettler,  S.  Cop- 
ley, E.  Weiss,  J.  Meck,  J.  M.  Haug,  C.  C.  Staffield.  Wis- 
consin Conference — J.  C.  Brendel,  C.  F.  Zimmerman,  M.  Wit- 
tenwyler,  C.  Wiegand,  a.  Tarnutzer,  J.  L.  Runkel.  Des 
Moines  Conference— E.  B.  Utt,  A.  Buzzard,  B.  H.  Niebel, 

Note.    The  California  Conference  sent  no  delegate. 
*  Alternates. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


473 


E.  F.  Mell,  Indiana  Conference — M.  Gruener,  J.  Henn,  H. 
Lageschuelte,  J.  F.  Bermer.  Canada  Conference,  S.  L.  Um- 
BACH,  J.  Umbach,  S.  N.  Mover,  M.  L.  Wing.  Minnesota  Con- 
ference— H.  E.  Linse,  a.  Sthohmeier,  H.  Bunse,  W.  Oehler. 
Erie  Conference — R.  Yeakel,  C.  F.  Negele,  C.  L.  Witt,  J. 
D.  Seip.  Kansas  Conference — J.  Wuerth,  C.  Berner,  H. 
Mattill,  J.  F.  Schreiber,  J.  H.  Tobias.  New  York  Confer- 
ence— M.  Pfitzinger,  a.  Holzwarth,  C.  F.  Schoepflein,  M. 
Lehn.*  Platte  River  Conference — C.  W.  Anthony,  E.  L.  Kip- 
linger,  B.  C.  OvLER.     Nebraska  Conference — M.  Inhelder, 

F.  Beckemever.  South  Indiana  Conference — J.  Kaufman,  E. 
R.  Trover.  Atlantic  Conference — H.  Guelich,  F.  Kurtz. 
Dakota  Conference — G.  W.  Heilscher,  C.  Oertli.  Oregon 
Conference — J.  Bowersox.  Germany  Conference — J.  Waltz, 
J.  G.  WoLPERT.  Swiss  Conference — G.  Gahr.  Ex  Officio 
Delegates — M.  Lauer,  W.  Horn,  H.  B.  Hartzler,  C.  A. 
Thomas,  S.  Heininger,  P.  W.  Raidabaugh. 


CHAPTER  XX. 


Establishment  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in  Europe — 
Being  an  Account  of  Work  in  Prussia,  Wurtemberg, 
Alsace,  Saxony,  Baden,  Switzerland,  Etc. 

The  year  1850  marked  the  semi-centennial  of  the  existence  of 
the  Evangelical  Association.  The  entire  church  was  alive  with 
a  missionary  and  educational  spirit.  The  duty  and  opportunity 
of  the  church  in  relation  to  these  things  was  freely  discussed  in 
the  periodicals  by  the  best  writers  of  the  Association,  and  it  is 
no  presumption  to  say  that  our  foreign  missions  and  first  lit- 
erary institutions  owe  their  existence  to  the  intense  enthusiasm 
of  that  year. 

GERMANY  MISSION. 

In  the  establishment  of  this  work,  the  East  Pa.  Conference 
took  the  initiative  at  its  session  in  February,  1850.  A  commit- 
tee was  appointed  to  prepare  resolutions  concerning  the  pro- 
posed mission.  After  a  reference  to  the  gracious  providence  of 
God  in  bringing  us  to  the  middle  of  the  first  century  af  our  ex- 
istence, our  duty  in  relation  to  the  missionary  cause,  and  espe- 
cially towards  the  Fatherland,  the  report  continues: 

"Resolved,  That  we  recommend  to  conference  the  following  : 
First,  That  in  case  the  necessary  support  be  forthcoming,  and 
suitable  men  be  found,  we  as  a  conference  favor  the  establish- 
ment of  a  mission  in  Germany.  Second,  That  we  request  our 
sister  conferences  to  co-operate  with  us  in  carrying  out  this  un- 
dertaking in  the  fellowing  manner :  (a)  that  each  of  the  annual 
conferences  choose  one  man,  and  these  men  chosen  by  the  dif- 
ferent conferences,  together  with  the  bishops,  shall  constitute  a 
board  which  shall  make  all  necessary  arrangements,  for  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  mission,  in  case  it  be  found  practicable. 

474 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


475 


(b)  that  as  soon  as  the  bishops  consider  the  carrying  out  of  the 
project  feasible,  subscriptions  shall  be  opened  in  our  church 
periodicals,  and  money  received  for  said  object,  (c)  that  each 
preacher  in  charge,  is  hereby  authorized  to  receive  money  for 
this  purpose,  and  forward  the  same  to  the  treasurer  of  the 
Parent  Missionary  Society." 

All  the  annual  conferences  passed  concurrent  resolutions 
at  their  following  sessions,  and  a  provisional  board  was  con- 
stituted in  accordance  with  the  resolution  of  the  East  Pa. 
Conference,  as  follows  :  East  Pa.  Conference,  J.  P.  Leib  ; 
West  Pa.  Conference,  W.  W.  Orwig  ;  Ohio  Conference,  J.  G. 
ZiNZER ;  Illinois  Conference,  Samukl  Baumgardner  ;  New 
York  Conference,  W.  Mentz. 

In  due  time  all  the  arrangements  were  completed,  and  the 
first  missionary.  Rev.  J.  C.  Link,  of  the  West  Pa.  Conference, 
set  sail  for  the  Fatherland,  Nov.  20,  1850.  He  was  successful 
from  the  first,  although  he  met  with  bitter  opposition  from  the 
ministers  of  the  State  Church.  He  made  his  headquarters  at 
Stuttgart,  the  capital  of  Wuertemburg.  From  this  place  he 
made  excursions  into  various  places,  meeting  with  uniform  suc- 
cess. In  October  of  the  following  year,  he  reported  having  or- 
ganized a  society  of  130  persons  in  Stuttgart.  The  General 
Conference  of  1851,  approved  of  the  action  of  the  Board  of 
Missions,  and  appointed  Rev.  John  Nicolai,  of  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference, as  an  additional  missionary,  with  instructions  to  labor 
in  the  Grand  Duchy  of  Hesse-Darmstadt.  In  November,  185 1, 
Nicolai  arrived  on  his  appointed  field  and  created  a  great  stir 
by  the  preaching  of  Evangelical  religion.  The  interest  was  so 
great  as  to  alarm  the  formal  clergymen,  and  through  their  insti- 
gation Nicolai  was  forbidden  to  preach  by  the  government,  and 
after  visiting  Ulm,  where  he  was  also  forbidden,  he  joined  Link 
at  Stuttgart,  where  they  labored  with  great  success.  Oct.  18, 
1852,  the  loving,  faithful  wife  of  Link  died.  Nicolai's  health 
failed,  and  he  was  compelled  to  discontinue  his  work  for  the  time 
being.  The  General  Conference  of  18515  made  provision  for  his 
recall,  and  the  appointment  of  another  in  his  stead,  in  case  of 
his  continued  ill  health.  The  following  year  Nicolai  was  re- 
lieved, and  Rev.  J.  G.  Wollpert,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  was 
appointed  in  his  place,  who  departed  for  Germany  soon  after 
his  appointment,  while  Nicolai  returned. 

In  September,  1858,  the  Board  of  Missions  appropriated 


476  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


$3,000,  for  the  erection  of  churches  in  Germany.  Wollpert  hav- 
ing met  with  great  success  in  Plochigen,  the  first  church  of  our 
work  in  Germany,  was  erected  there,  and  dedicated  July  31, 
1859.    Churches  were  erected  soon  thereafter  at  other  places. 

In  the  spring  of  1858,  at  the  request  of  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions, Link  returned  to  America,  and  preached  and  collected 
in  the  interests  of  the  work  in  Germany,  and  awakened  a  great 
interest  in  the  cause. 

The  General  Conference  of  1859,  resolved  that  a  mission  be 
established  in  Switzerland,  and  the  Board  of  Missions,  the  fol- 
lowing year  appointed  J.  C.  Link  to  the  work.  After  making  a 
visit  to  that  country,  Link  concluded  not  to  enter  upon  the 
work  at  that  time.  In  the  spring  of  1861,  J.  P.  Schnatz,  of  the 
Ohio  Conference,  was  appointed  to  relieve  Link,  who  was  then 
laboring  in  Stuttgart. 

In  1863,  the  Board  made  arrangements  with  Rev.  S.  Neitz, 
of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  to  make  a  tour  of  inspection  to  our 
work.  As  is  well  known,  Neitz  was  a  very  eloquent  man,  and 
his  sermons  created  a  great  stir  wherever  he  went.  He  visited 
all  the  appointments,  and  contributed  greatly  by  his  preaching 
and  counsel  to  the  better  establishment  of  the  mission. 

In  1863,  the  work  included  seven  missionaries,  with  sixty- 
four  preaching  places.  The  General  Conference  of  1863,  took 
steps  to  strengthen  the  work  by  electing  J.  G.  Wollpert,  pre- 
siding elder,  for  the  European  missions,  and  also  ordered  the 
publication  of  a  paper  in  Germany,  to  be  called  Der  Evangel- 
iche  Botschafter,  the  presiding  elder  to  be  the  publisher,  and  P. 
Paulus,  editor.  Steps  were  also  taken  to  found  a  Missionary 
Institute,  which  later  on  became  an  important  adjunct  to  the 
mission.  Provision  was  made  for  the  organization  of  the  work 
into  an  annual  conference. 

In  Dec,  1864,  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher  started  for  Europe  on 
an  episcopal  visit.  He  was  accompanied  by  Rev.  John  Walz, 
of  the  Ohio  Conference,  who  was  appointed  as  an  additional 
missionary.  Bishop  Esher  remained  five  months,  visiting  all 
the  appointments  of  our  European  mission  and  organized  the 
conference. 

1865.  The  Germany  Conference  was  organized  Feb. 
24,  1865,  at  Stuttgart.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president,  and  J.  P. 
Schnatz,  secretary.  There  were  present  the  following  min- 
isters :  J.  G.  Wollpert,  J.  P.  Schnatz  and  J.  Walz,  from 


GONFERENCB  RECORDS. 


477 


America.  G.  Fuessele,  M.  Erdle  and  L.  Eisenhart,  of 
Germany,  who  had  labored  with  us  some  years,  also  three 
applicants  :  B.  Beck,  A.  H,  Beck  and  F.  Stuber.  A  mission- 
ary society,  auxiliary  to  the  parent  society,  was  organized.  In 
March  Bishop  Esher,  accompanied  by  G.  Fuessele,  who  was 
appointed  to  that  country,  arrived  in  Switzerland  and  began 
operations  there. 

In  1865  J.  Kaechle,  of  the  New  York,  and  G.  Vetter, 
of  the  Illinois  Conference,  were  sent  by  the  board.  The  for- 
mer went  to  Switzerland,  and  the  latter,  to  Ulm,  Germany. 

1866.  Germany  Conference,  Sept.  4,  1866,  J.  G.  Woll- 
pert,  president.  J.  Schmidli,  F.  Bauer  and  J.  P.  Luippold 
were  licensed.  Itinerants,  11 ;  local,  3  ;  preaching  places,  123; 
Members,  3,015.  J.  Kaechle,  B.  Beck  and  J.  Schmidli  were 
appointed  to  Switzerland,  where  great  success  attended  their 
labors.  Five  hundred  and  ninety-one  members  were  added  to 
the  church  in  Switzerland  this  year.  In  Germany  the  brethren 
were  also  very  successful. 

1867.  There  was  no  annual  conference  held  this  year,  for 
the  reason  that  a  change  in  the  time  was  desirable,  and  also, 
that  by  the  postponement  a  bishop  could  be  present  to  preside. 

1868.  Bishop  Esher  paid  his  second  visit  to  Europe  and 
held  the  Germany  Conference  in  Reutlingen,  June  11.  The 
work  in  Switzerland  was  made  a  presiding  elder  district,  with 
J.  Kaechele  as  presiding  elder.  Strasburg,  in  Alsace,  was 
taken  up  as  a  mission  by  J.  P.  Schnatz.  The  total  number 
of  itinerants  was  18.    Membership,  3,701. 

1869.  Conference  met  in  Thun,  Switzerland,  June  19. 
J.  G.  WoLLPERT,  president.    The  itinerants  numbered  25. 

1870.  Bishop  Esher  again  visited  Germany  and  held 
the  conference  June  16.  In  his  report  the  bishop  says  : 
"Our  work  has  made  good  progress  in  the  last  few  years  in 
Europe,  but  in  Switzerland  our  progress  is  simply  astonishing." 

1871.  Conference  was  held  in  Strasburg  June  15,  J. 
Kaechele,  president.  Five  brethren  were  ordained  as  dea- 
cons. The  work  was  very  prosperous.  Switzerland  reported 
1,500  members  and  11  preachers.  There  were  28  itinerants 
this  year,  serving  350  preaching  places. 

1872.  Conference  met  June  20,  in  Reutlingen,  J. 
Kaechele,  president.    J.  Walz  was  newly  and  J.  Kaeohele 


478  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


was  re-elected  presiding  elder.  Itinerants,  29  ;  total  member- 
ship, 3,855. 

1873.  Conference  met  in  Thun,  Switzerland,  Bishop 
EsHER,  presiding.  Members,  4,738;  Sunday-schools,  94; 
Scholars,  5,340.  The  latter  part  of  this  year  J-  Berger,  of 
the  Indiana  Conference,  was  appointed  as  the  first  mission- 
ary to  Prussia.  He  entered  upon  his  work  in  the  beginning 
of  the  following  year. 

1874.  Conference  met  in  Zofingen,  Switzerland,  June  18, 
J.  Kaechele,  president.  Great  success  was  reported  every- 
where. H.  GuELicH,  of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  was  sent  as 
an  additional  missionary  to  Prussia.  Itinerants,  36;  members, 
5.445- 

1875.  Conference  met  in  Kircheim,  Wurt,  June  17,  J.  J. 
EsHER,  president.  Prussia  received  five  missionaries.  Itiner- 
ants, 44.  The  General  conference  of  this  year  took  charge  of 
the  publishing  interests  in  Germany,  electing  J.  Waltz,  book 
agent  ;  J.  Kaechele,  editor  of  Ev.  Bostchafter,  and  G.  Fues- 
SELE,  eAitor  ot  Kinder/reund.  General  Conference  also  approved 
of  the  establishment  of  an  institution  of  learning  at  Reutlingen. 

1876.  Conference  met  in  Stuttgart,  Wurt,  June  15,  J. 
Kaechele,  president;  1,155  members  were  received. 
Total  membership,  6,801  ;  itinerants,  42  ;  locals,  9  ;  church 
edifices  (mostly  connected  with  parsonages),  22. 

The  European  work  was  re-districted  as  follows  :  I.  Switzer- 
land, H.  GuELicH  ;  II.  Reutlingen,  J.  Kaechele;  III.  Stuttgart, 
J.  Waltz  ;  IV.  North  Germany,  J.  Berger.  Itinerants,  48  ; 
members,  6,801.  The  first  Evangelical  Church  in  Prussia,  was 
builtthis  year,  at  Muehlheim.  The  proposed  institution  of  learn- 
ing was  established  this  year,  in  Reutlingen,  J.  Kaechele  and  L. 
Eisenhart,  were  the  instructors. 

1877.  Conference  was  held  in  Basle,  Switzerland,  Bishop 
R.  Duiis,  presiding.  Eleven  young  men  were  licensed,  and 
great  revivals  were  reported.  Bishop  Dubs  made  a  thorough 
inspection  of  the  work,  preaching  to  great  and  enthusiastic  con- 
gregations in  court  houses,  halls,  theaters,  state  churches  and 
in  the  open  air.  His  work  in  Europe  was  highly  commended  by 
the  Board  of  Missions,  upon  his  return. 

1878.  Conference  met  in  Esslingen,  Wurtemberg,  June 
20,  J.  Kaechele,  president.  The  membership  was  7,240;  Sun- 
day-schools, 213;  scholars,  11,634;  churches,  29. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


479 


Publishing  House. — A  Publishing  House  was  established  in 
Stuttgart.  The  American  Board  advanced  ^10,000  as  a  loan 
for  its  establishment.  This  sum  the  General  Conference  do- 
nated to  the  German  work  in  1879.  Prior  to  this,  the  printing 
in  Germany  was  done  in  Nuertingen  by  Mr.  Raiger.  H.  Hintze, 
of  the  Illinois  Conference,  was  sent  this  year  as  an  additional 
missionary  to  North  Germany. 

1879.  Conference  met  in  Bern,  Switzerland,  June  3.  Bishop 
R.  Yeakel  presided.  G.  Heinmiller,  of  the  Iowa  Conference, 
was  received  as  an  additional  missionary  and  stationed  in  Dres- 
den. H.  Hintze  was  elected  presiding  elder  and  placed  on  the 
North  German  District. 

Switzerland  Conference,  which  also  included  the  appoint- 
ments in  Alsace,  was  formed  at  this  session. 

It  embraced  two  presiding  elder  districts  :  Bern,  H.  Guelich, 
presiding  elder  ;  Oberland,  G.  Gaehr,  presiding  elder. 

1880.  Germany  Conference,  Stuttgart,  June  17.  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president.  A  new  district,  called  Ulm  District,  was 
formed.    G.  Fuessele,  presiding  elder. 

Swiss  Conference,  Zofingen,  June  3.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher, 
president.    Basle  District  was  formed. 

1881.  Germany  Confereace,  Reutlingen,  Wurtemberg,  July 
6.  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president.  Itinerants,  41  ;  locals,  10; 
churches,  19  ;  members,  4,356. 

Districts  :  J.  Kaechele,  presiding  elder  ;  Reutlingen,  J.  Waltz; 
Ulm,  G.  Fuessele  ;  North  Germany,  H.  Hintze, 

1881.  Swiss  Conference,  Basle,  July  14.  Bishop  Bowman, 
presiding.    Itinerants,  21  ;  locals,  3  ;  members,  3,505. 

Districts :  Basle,  H.  Guelich,  presiding  elder ;  Bern,  G. 
Gaehr,  presiding  elder. 

1882.  Germany  Conference,  Durlach,  Baden,  June  i. 
Bishop  Dubs,  president.  J,  Knapp  was  newly  elected  presiding 
elder  and  stationed  on  North  Germany  District.  Itinerants, 
38  ;  locals,  9  ;  churches,  20  ;  members,  4,477. 

1882.  Swiss  Conference,  Thun,  June  8.  Bishop  Dubs, 
president.  H.  Hintze  was  elected  presiding  elder  and  stationed 
on  Bern  District.  Itinerants,  19  ;  locals,  5  ;  churches,  18;  mem- 
bers, 3,470;  Sunday-schools,  110,  scholars,  6,982. 

1883.  Germany  Conference,  Muehlheira,  a.  d.  Ruhr,  Prus- 
sia, June  7.    Bishop  Esher,  president.    Itinerants,  35  ;  locals, 


480  EVANGELICAL  ASaOGlATION  ANNALS. 


II  ;  churches,  21  ;  members,  4, 7 is  ,-  Sunday-schools,  156  ;  schol- 
ars, 10,000. 

1883.  Swiss  Conference,  Strasburg,  in  Alsace,  June  14. 
Bishop  EsHER,  president.  G.  Gaehr  was  re-elected  presiding 
elder.   Itinerants,  21  ;  locals,  6;  churches,  19;  members,  3,632. 

1884.  Germany  Conference,  Stuttgart,  June  5.  J.  Waltz, 
president.  J.  Waltz,  G.  Fuessele  and  J.  Kaechele  were  re- 
elected presiding  elders.  Itinerants,  40;  locals,  10;  churches, 
21;  members,  4, 766;  Sunday-schools,  142;  scholars,  over  10,000. 

1884.  Swiss  Conference,  Bern,  June  12.  H.  Hintze  presi- 
dent. Itinerants,  21  ;  locals,  8  ;  churches,  20  ;  members,  3,723; 
Sunday-schools,  119;  scholars,  8,100. 

1885.  Germany  Conference,  June  4,  at  Kirchheim,  Bishop 
J.  J.  EsHER,  president.  J.  Kaechele,  principal  of  the  semi- 
nary, resigned  because  of  ill  health,  and  G.  Heinmiller,  took 
his  place.  North  Germany  District  was  divided.  B.  Beck, 
and  J.  G.  Wollpert  were  elected  presiding  elders.  Itinerants, 
45;  locals,  10;  members,  4,794;  churches,  21. 

•  Districts  :  Stuttgart,  G.  Fuessele  ;  Esslingen,  J.  Waltz ; 
Reutlingen,  J.  G.  Wollpert  ;  Eisnach,  B.  Beck  ;  Muehlheim,  J. 
Knapp. 

1885.  Swiss  Conference,  Basle,  June  11.  Bishop  Esher, 
presided.  Itinerants,  24  ;  locals,  5  ;  churches  20  ;  members, 
3.731- 

Districts  :  H.  Hintze,  presiding  elder ;  Alsace,  G.  Gaehr. 

1886.  Germany  Conference,  Essen,  Prussia,  May  27. 

1886.  Swiss  Conference,  Zofingen,  Switzerland,  June  17. 
Bishop  Thomas  Bowman,  presided.  The  total  membership  in 
Europe,  was  9,006.  The  Ev.  Botschafter,  reported  the  remark- 
able circulation  of  14,000. 

1887.  Germany  Conference,  Reutlingen,  June  9.  Bishop 
R.  Dubs,  president.  Itinerants,  37  ;  locals,  20  ;  churches,  26; 
members,  5,300;  Sunday-schools,  181;  officers  and  scholars, 
II, 087. 

Districts  :  Stuttgart,  G.  Fuessele  ;  Reutlingen,  J.  G.  Woll- 
pert ;  Muehlheim,  J.  Knapp  ;  Eisnach,  B.  Beck. 

1887.  Swiss  Conference,  Thun,  June  17.  Bishop  R. 
Dubs,  president.  Alsace  District  was  discontinued.  Itinerants, 
23  ;  locals,  8  ;  churches,  20  ;  Sunday-schools,  137  ;  officers  and 
scholars,  8,980.  H,  Hintze,  presiding  elder  of  conference 
district. 


OOKFEBBNGE  RECORDS. 


481 


JAPAN  MISSION. 

Our  work  among  the  heathen  in  a  measure  owes  its  origin  to 
the  great  missionary  enthusiasm  awakened  in  1850,  by  the  semi- 
centennial celebration  of  the  establishment  of  the  Evangelical 
Association.  This  year  a  number  of  communications  appeared 
in  the  church  periodicals  on  the  subject  of  establishing  a  work 
among  the  heathen.  Propositions  were  made  by  laymen  to  start 
a  fund  for  that  purpose.  The  General  Conference  of  185 1,  dis- 
cussed the  subject  at  length,  and  the  matter,was  referred  to  the 
Board  of  Missions,  and  directions  given  that  money  for  the  pro- 
posed mission  be  sent  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Parent  Society. 
In  1853  the  board  announced  that  as  soon  as  there  was  sufficient 
money  in  the  treasury  the  work  would  be  undertaken,  and  an 
appeal  was  made  for  funds.  At  the  General  Conference  of 
1855,  resolutions  in  reference  to  the  mission  were  again  adopted, 
and  the  Board  of  Missions  was  directed  to  look  about  for  suit- 
able men  for  the  work.  Funds,  however,  were  wanting,  as  the 
treasury  contained  but  ^864  contributed  for  this  purpose.  At 
the  General  Conference  of  1859,  resolutions  looking  to  the  early 
establishment  of  the  mission  were  again  adopted.  In  i860  the 
board  resolved  to  undertake  the  work.  The  amount  in  the  treas- 
ury was  $4,835. 

The  field  selected  in  which  to  begin  operations  was  India. 
Two  young  men,  F.  W.  Heidner*  and  F.  C.  Hoffman  f  were 
selected  for  the  work,  and  instructed  to  prepare  themselves  ac- 
cordingly. Their  departure,  however,  was  deferred  until  the 
following  General  Conference,  which  proved  to  be  the  end  of 
the  proposed  India  mission.  The  General  Conference  of  1863 
decided  that  in  view  of  the  prospective  cost,  and  the  fact  that 
the  amount  in  the  treasury  was  but  $9,234,  the  establishment  of 
the  mission  should  be  postponed  until  such  time  that  it  could  be 
undertaken  with  better  prospects  of  success.  The  General  Con- 
ference of  1867  also  passed  resolutions,  and  still  the  board  hesi- 
tated to  undertake  the  work.  The  fund  now  amounted  to 
$15,896.  In  1869  the  fund  had  increased  to  $18,000,  and  the 
board  then  contemplated  a  mission  among  the  Chinese  who 
were  pouring  into  California  by  thousands.  No  definite  steps, 
however,  were  taken.    In  1873,  the  board  declared  that  "the 


*  For  many  years  a  professor  in  Northwestern  College. 

\  Formerly  principal  of  Union  Seminary,  and  a  son  of  Rev.  F.  Hoffman. 


483  E  VANGELICAL  ASSOCIA  TION  ANNALS. 


period  seems  to  be  drawing  near  in  which  we  should  enter  upon 
this  important  work  in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  In  1874,  the 
board  decided  that  Japan  should  be  considered  as  our  mission 
field. 

At  the  succeeding  General  Confernce  (1875)  the  following 
resolutions  were  adopted  : 

"(i)  Resolved,  That  a  mission  among  the  heathen  be  estab- 
lished forthwith. 

"(2)  Resolved,  That  we  consider  Japan  as  the  most  favor- 
able field  for  such  a  mission,  and  that  it  be  established  in  that 
country. 

"  (3)  Resolved,  That  the  Board  of  Missions  be  instructed  to 
take  the  necessary  steps,  that  this  mission  be  supplied  with 
at  least  two  suitable  men  as  soon  as  possible." 

Before  action  was  taken  on  the  resolutions  Rev.  C.  F.  Dein- 
iNGER,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  suggested  the  propriety 
of  first  engaging  in  silent  prayer.  This  was  done  amid  deep 
solemnity,  after  which  the  resolutions  were  adopted  amid  great 
enthusiasm.     The  fund  at  this  time  amounted  to  $25,650. 

The  board,  after  mature  deliberation,  engaged  as  mission- 
aries Dr.  Frederick  Krecker,  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  and 
Miss  Rachel  Hudson,  an  accomplished  teacher,  also  from 
Pennsylvania,  and  Rev.  A.  Halmhuber,  of  the  Swiss  Con- 
ference. 

On  Sunday,  Oct.  i,  1876,  a  very  impressive  farewell  service 
was  held  in  the  Calvary  Evangelical  Church  at  Cleveland, 
Ohio,  after  which  the  missionaries  made  their  final  preparations 
for  departure.  They  sailed  October  18  from  San  Francisco, 
and  after  a  somewhat  boisterous  voyage,  they  landed  safety  at 
Yokohama,  Japan.  They  remained  in  Yokohama  for  a  brief 
season.  Tokio  was  selected  by  them  as  the  place  for  begin- 
ning operations,  and  they  accordingly  established  themselves 
there.  A  good  beginning  was  made  in  1877.  A  Sunday-school 
was  organized  and  some  souls  were  converted.  In  September 
of  this  year  Bro.  Halmhuber  established  himself  at  Osaka, 
about  300  miles  distant  from  Tokio.  The  missionaries  suffered 
much  from  the  change  of  climate,  and  the  work  developed 
somewhat  slowly  at  first.  A  small  class  was  organized  at  Tokio 
prior  to  the  General  Conference  of  1879. 

In  the  Spring  of  1880  the  Board  of  Missions  selected  Jacob 
Hartzler,  formerly  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  as  an 


GONFBBENCE  RECORDS. 


483 


additional  missionary,  and  also  to  take  the  oversight  of  the  Mis- 
sion as  superintendent.  A  farewell  meeting  was  tendered  him 
in  the  Calvary  church,  Cleveland,  O.,  April  15,  and  on  May  4 
he  and  his  wife  sailed  from  San  Francisco,  and  after  a  voyage 
of  twenty  days  arrived  safely  at  Yokohama.  The  superintend- 
ent submitted  his  first  report  to  the  Board  of  Missions  June  30, 
1880.  The  Mission  then  embraced  the  following:  Tokio — 
Preaching  places,  5  ;  natives  baptized  during  the  year,  10 ; 
newly  received,  10  ;  whole  number  of  native  members,  23  ;  Sun- 
day-schools, 4;  average  attendance,  no.  Osaka — Preaching 
places,  I  ;  baptized,  i  ;  native  members,  3  ;  Sunday-schools,  2  ; 
scholars,  40.  In  his  next  report,  published  in  October,  1881, 
the  superintendent  reports  six  Sunday-schools,  with  122  scholars  ; 
six  preaching  places,  and  37  members,  and  several  young  native 
converts  under  training  for  the  gospel  ministry.  At  the  session 
of  the  East  Pa.  Conference  in  1882,  these  first  fruits  for  our 
ministry  were  licensed,  namely,  Hirakawa  Toyotsura  and  Uyeno 
Mtkutna.  In  later  years  many  others  were  licensed  by  various 
conferences  on  recommendation  of  the  missionaries.  The  pe- 
culiar climatic  condition  of  Japan  affected  the  missionaries  un- 
favorably. The  health  of  Halmhuber  became  so  impaired  that 
he  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  work,  and  on  June  24,  1882, 
he  departed  for  Europe,  and  the  work  at  Osaka  was  discon- 
tinued. The  superintendent's  report,  made  in  August,  1882,  shows 
the  following  :  One  chapel,  three  preaching  places,  one  Sunday- 
school,  officers  and  teachers,  15  ;  scholars,  117  ;  two  day  schools, 
with  72  scholars;  adults  baptized,  26;  newly  converted,  26; 
newly  received,  25  ;  whole  number  of  members,  51.  The  mis- 
sion also  had  a  half  interest  in  a  school  for  the  training  of  ap- 
plicants for  the  ministry. 

Although  misfortunes  had  already  befallen  the  mission,  a 
still  greater  calamity  awaited  it.  In  the  beginning  of  April, 
1883,  Dr.  Krecker  contracted  typhus  fever  while  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties,  visiting  and  administering  to  the  sick.  After 
an  illness  of  several  weeks,  April  26  his  noble  spirit  passed  into 
the  realms  of  bliss  to  receive  a  crown  from  the  hands  of  Jesus, 
while  his  body  filled  the  first  missionary's  grave  of  our  church. 
His  noble  wife,  with  four  children,  remained  to  work  for  the 
Master. 

On  August  4,  1883,  Prof.  W.  E.  Waltz  and  wife  sailed  for  Ja- 
pan, under  appointment  by  the  Board  of  Missions.    This  was  a 


484 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


welcome  addition  to  our  little  band  of  heroic  missionaries.  In 
the  superintendent's  report,  June  30,  1883,  appear  the  following 
encouraging  items  :  Newly  converted,  94  ;  newly  received,  96  ; 
whole  number  of  native  members,  146  ;  adults  baptized,  9  ;  in- 
fants baptized,  28  ;  native  preachers,  3  ;  chapels,  2  ;  value, 
^500  ;  parsonage,  i  ;  value,  $125  ;  Sunday-schools,  4  ;  officers 
and  teachers,  15  ;  scholars,  191  ;  day  schools,  3  ;  pupils,  191. 

On  the  i8th  of  Dec,  1883,  F.  W.  Voegelein  and  wife,  of 
the  California  Conference,  and  Miss  Ada  B.  Johnson,  of  Cleve- 
land, O.,  sailed  from  San  Francisco,  under  appointment  of  the 
Board  of  Missions.  On  Dec.  6,  1884,  Bishop  Esher,  accom- 
panied by  his  wife,  sailed  from  San  Francisco,  for  the  purpose 
of  inspecting  the  mission  work  in  Japan.  On  Jan.  11,  1885, 
he  ordained  as  deacon  T.  Hirakawa,  which  was  the  first  ordi- 
nation of  a  converted  heathen  by  an  Evangelical  bishop.  At 
the  annual  session  of  the  Board  of  Missions,  Oct.  2,  1885,  the 
work  in  Japan  was  committed  to  a  Managing  committee,  com- 
posed of  F.  W.  Voegelein,  president ;  W.  E.  Waltz,  secretary  ; 
and  J.  Hartzler,  treasurer. 

The  report  of  the  superintendent  for  the  past  year  was  as 
follows  :  Died,  6  ;  expelled,  26  ;  withdrawn,  70  ;  withdrew  with 
certificate,  10  ;  moved  away,  8  ;  converted,  3  ;  newly  received, 
I  2.  Three  active  and  two  local  native  preachers,  three  churches, 
four  parsonages,  five  Sunday-schools,  officers  and  teachers  16  ; 
average  attendance,  215.    Also  three  day  schools. 

Oct.  22,  1885,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker  sailed  for  the 
home  land,  two  of  her  children  having  preceded  her  several 
months.  She  soon  afterwards  began  to  labor  in  the  interests 
of  the  missionary  cause  throughout  the  church  by  appointment 
of  the  Board  of  Missions.  Several  weeks  after  the  departure 
of  Mrs.  Krecker  from  Japan,  she  was  followed  by  Miss  Hud- 
son, who  was  completely  broken  down  in  health.  Thus  the 
entire  original  missionary  band  had  left  the  field,  but  not  with- 
out leaving  behind  them  many  enduring  monuments  of  their 
zeal  and  devotion  to  the  Master's  cause. 

Although  the  little  band  was  thus  reduced  in  number,  our 
missionaries  in  the  Sunrise  Kingdom  were  not  discouraged. 
New  men  were  ready  to  fill  the  broken  ranks.  F.  AV.  Fisher,  of 
the  California,  and  G.  E.  Dienst,  of  the  Kansas  Conference, 
were  appointed  by  the  board,  and  with  their  families  set  sail 
or  Japan  in  the  Autumn  of   1886,  and  arrived  in  safety  in 


CONFERENCE  REG0RD8. 


485 


Japan.  The  report  of  the  mission  for  the  General  Conference 
of  1887  was  as  follows  :  Died,  6;  expelled,  2  ;  withdrew,  18  ; 
moved  away,  17  ;  newly  converted,  82  ;  newly  received,  78  ; 
received  with  certificate,  10;  whole  number  of  members,  150; 
adults  baptized,  65  ;  infants  baptized,  10  ;  itinerants  8  (four  of 
whom  were  natives)  ;  locals,  2  ;  churches,  4  ;  parsonages  2  ; 
Sunday-schools,  7  ;  missionary  houses  in  foreign  concessions, 
6;  probable  value,  ^lo,  790. 

Soon  after  the  General  Conference  of  1887,  a  training 
school  was  established  at  Tokio,  for  the  better  education  of 
the  candidates  for  the  ministry.  This  school  has  proved  a  great 
advantage  to  the  mission,  and  has  been  successful  from  the  be- 
ginning. 

WORK  ON  THE  PACIFIC  COAST. 

A  number  of  members  of  the  church  who  had  removed  to 
San  Francisco,  Cal. ,  in  November,  1862,  petitioned  the  Board 
of  Missions,  for  a  missionary  to  be  sent  them.  Owing  to  a  lack 
of  funds,  the  call  was  not  complied  with  at  the  time.  The  Gen- 
eral Conference  of  1863  decided  that  the  field  should  be  occu- 
pied at  once,  and  appeals  were  made  to  the  church  for  funds 
with  such  success  that  the  board  proceeded  with  the  project,  and 
selected  three  men  for  the  mission  field.  C.  F.  Deininger,  of 
the  Central  ;  J.  Croasman,  of  the  Pittsburg  and  M.  Guhl,  of 
the  East  Pa.  Conference.  The  missionaries  departed  for  their 
destination  in  the  Spring  of  1864,  arriving  in  San  Francisco, 
June  8th.  Deininger  remained  in  San  Francisco,  Guhl  went 
to  San  Jose,  Cal.,  and  Croasman  to  Oregon. 

California  proved  to  be  a  very  difficult  field  of  labor.  In 
San  Francisco  the  Sabbath  was  but  nominally  observed,  and  sa- 
loons and  stores  were  open  as  on  other  days.  Deininger  began 
his  labors  in  a  hall,  July  3rd,  by  preaching  to  twelve  hearers, 
eleven  of  whom  united  with  the  church.  A  class  was  formed,  of 
which  C.  Smith  was  elected  leader.  In  1866,  a  good  church 
was  built  in  San  Francisco,  by  Deininger. 

Croasman  selected  Salem,  Oregon,  as  the  central  point  of 
his  operations.  He  met  with  considerable  success  and  organ- 
ized a  society  of  about  fifty  members.  He  also  erected  a  church 
here,  which  was  dedicated  by  Deininger,  in  the  latter  part  of 
August,  1866. 

In  1867,  J.  G.  Marquardt,  of  the  New  York  Conference, 


486  BVANQELICAL  ASSOGIATION  ANNALS. 


was  sent  to  San  Francisco,  and  Deininger  was  transferred  to 
Salem,  Oregon,  while  Croasman  was  sent  up  the  Willametta 
Valley,  some  thirty-five  miles.  During  the  year,  he  organized 
a  class  of  twenty  members,  at  Corvallis,  and  another  at  Harris- 
burg,  thirty  miles  south,  with  the  same  number  of  members. 
During  this  year.  Deininger  organized  at  Salem,  the  first  Evan- 
gelical Sunday-school  in  Oregon. 

GuHL  met  with  no  success  whatever,  at  San  Jose,  although 
he  labored  faithfully.  In  1866,  the  Board  of  Missions  trans- 
ferred him  to  Stockton,  where  he  met  with  no  better  success, 
and  the  work  was  discontinued.  In  1869,  Deininger  desired 
to  return  east,  and  Josiah  Bowersox,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Con- 
ference, was  sent  to  fill  the  vacancy,  who  arrived  in  Oregon  in 
the  Spring  of  1870.  While  all  the  early  missionaries  on  the 
coast  have  returned,  Bowersox  has  remained  up  to  the  present 
time,  having  labored  for  a  period  of  over  twenty  years,  with 
untiring  zeal  and  devotion  for  the  upbuilding  of  our  work  in 
Oregon  and  Washington.  In  1871,  D.  S.  Oakes,  of  the  Indiana 
Conference,  was  sent  to  Oregon  as  an  additional  missionary. 

In  1872,  after  eight  years  of  work,  we  had  in  Oregon  three 
churches,  two  parsonages,  and  about  one  hundred  members. 
While  the  result  seems  insignificant,  the  reader  should  remember 
that  there  were  many  and  peculiar  difficulties  to  be  overcome. 

In  1875,  S.  Heininger,  of  the  Michigan  Conference,  was 
sent  as  an  additional  missionary  and  was  appointed  to  Salem. 
The  following  year  he  took  up  a  number  of  appointments  in  the 
surrounding  country,  meeting  with  great  success.  In  1876,  the 
work  on  the  Pacific  Coast  took  a  long  stride  forward.  F.  W. 
Voegelein,  of  the  Kansas  Conference,  was  sent  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.,  and  W.  C.  Kantner,  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  to 
Oregon.  The  latter  arrived  in  Salem  in  April,  and  assisted 
Heininger  on  Salem  Mission  until  September.  This  mission 
then  extended  from  Rock  Creek,  thirty-seven  miles  S.  E.  of 
Salem,  to  West  Chehalem,  thirty-five  miles  N.  W.  of  the  same 
city.  In  June  the  first  camp-meeting  of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation on  the  Coast  was  held  three  miles  S.  W.  of  Wheatland. 
The  number  of  tents  was  twenty-two,  and  all  our  missionaries 
in  Oregon  were  in  attendance.  Sept.  28,  1876,  the  Pacific  Con- 
ference was  organized  at  Salem,  Oregon.  The  reader  is  referred 
to  the  proceedings  of  the  conference  sessions  for  further  detail 
of  the  work  on  the  Pacific  slope. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


Statistics  of  the  Evangelical  Association  from  its  Origin, 
IN  1800,  TO  THE  Year  1887,  Inclusive. 

The  following  tables  required  the  most  exacting  and  labor- 
ious work  in  their  preparation.  The  difficulty  of  producing  full 
statistics  of  all  the  conferences  was  found  to  be  well  nigh  in- 
superable. It  frequently  happens  that  the  statistics  were  only 
published  in  one  of  the  periodicals,  which  made  the  examina- 
tion of  both  the  German  and  English  papers  necessary.  In 
many  instances  they  contained  inaccuracies  which  were  after- 
wards corrected.  In  all  such  instances  the  author  has  used 
all  available  help  in  order  to  make  the  tables  as  accurate  as 
possible.  In  several  instances  where  typographical  errors  were 
manifest  without  subsequent  correction,  the  figures  were  omit- 
ted. 

These  tables  furnish  food  for  earnest  thought  and  reflection. 
The  observant  reader  will  often  discover  evidences  of  victory 
on  the  one  hand,  and  seemingly  reverses  on  the  other  hand. 
He  will  be  able  to  read  the  history  of  the  early  struggles  of 
our  ministry  in  the  pittance  they  received  as  support,  while 
preaching  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.  He  will  notice 
gradual  improvement  by  the  increased  support  and  the  erection 
of  churches  and  parsonages. 

While  errors  will  doubtless  be  detected  here  and  there,  we 
do  not  believe  they  will  be  of  sufficient  importance  to  impair 
the  general  usefulness  of  these  tables. 

4'3T 


488  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


FROM  1800  TO  THE  FORMATION  OF  THE  WESTERN 
CONFERENCE  IN  1826. 


Year. 

Newly  converted. 

Newly  received. 

Whole  number  of  members. 

Elders  and  deacons  in  the  trav- 
eling connection. 

Traveling  preachers  on  trial. 

Preachers  in  active  service.  | 

General  salary  fund. 

Subsidiary  collection. 

Presiding  elder  districts.  | 

Fields  of  labor.  | 

I 

I 

20 

I 

I 

20 

I 

2 

I 

1803,  

40 

I 

2 

3 

I 

60 

I 

3 

4 

$  61 

00 

2 

1805,  

35 

75 

2 

3 

5 

2 

3 

0 

3 

2 

120 

3 

2 

5 

2 

1808,  

220 

4 

2 

6 

♦  44 

00 

2 

426 

3 

3 

5 

42 

72 

2 

78 

114 

528 

5 

3 

7 

159 

33 

30 

80 

3 

1811,  

72 

112 

740 

6 

3 

8 

283 

00 

51 

97 

3 

160 

202 

761 

6 

8 

13 

344 

96 

"3 

68 

6 

1813.  

lOI 

129 

796 

8 

9 

15 

414 

61 

65 

36 

6 

196 

304 

1,016 

II 

5 

13 

588 

38 

59 

69 

I 

7 

»8i5  

235 

266 

1,108 

14 

5 

15 

553 

00 

171 

80 

2 

7 

330 

392 

1,401 

15 

10 

21 

700 

40 

206 

93 

2 

12 

1817  

224 

306 

1.493 

16 

12 

21 

769 

73 

354 

30 

2 

13 

267 

396 

1.707 

23 

7 

21 

935 

58 

362 

15 

2 

12 

273 

355 

1.895 

23 

7 

21 

938 

06 

174 

55 

2 

12 

303 

343 

1,992 

27 

3 

22 

708 

28 

177 

85 

2 

12 

208 

258 

1.974 

28 

6 

21 

611 

64 

149 

62 

2 

1 1 

204 

215 

1.936 

30 

10 

23 

642 

97 

160 

31 

2 

12 

175 

205 

1,854 

33 

8 

19 

637 

06 

137 

83 

3 

!- 

1824,  

179 

200 

1,878 

36 

8 

22 

676 

70 

108 

86 

3 

10 

1825  

^231 

265 

2,039 

35 

9 

23 

616 

60 

97 

63 

3 

11 

1826,  

254 

345 

2, 207 

42 

6 

21 

775 

89 

123 

46 

3 

10 

1 

NoTH. — The  statistics  of  the  first  two  tables  have  been  taken  from  "  Landmarks  of  the 
Evangelical  Association  "  by  kind  permission  of  the  author. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS.  489 


EASTERN  AND  WESTERN  CONFERENCES,  1827-1839. 


t/i 
u 

V 
Xi 

V 

0 

u 

X> 

S 
u 

e 

ns  in  ( 

e  servi 

■0 
a 

ions. 

istricts. 

Year. 

■6 

0 

0  >-< 

"  y 

is 

> 

a 

u 
u 

•0 

V 

•0 

0 
(« 

c 

>^ 

V 

u 

V 

> 

V 

£1 

s 

C 

« 

"o 

2 

0 

X> 

> 
a 
0 
0 

recei 

num 

and 
itin 

nts  0 

(/) 

u 

t-l 
rt 

"u 

be 
a 

of  la 

Newly 

Newly 

Whole 

Elders 

Itinera 

Preach 

Genera 

Subsid 

1  Presidi 

1  Fields 

340 

478 

2,567 

46 

r6 

23 

9     0I7  15 

$105 

40 

3 

12 

393 

2,044 

32 

5 

18 

704  59 

105 

40 

2 

8 

382 

458 

2,677 

46 

16 

22 

935  29 

200 

82 

3 

II 

320 

373 

2,176 

33 

6 

16 

796  41 

185 

88 

2 

8 

366 

435 

2,862 

40 

i8 

26 

932  06 

272 

37 

3 

12 

Eastern,  

271 

2,214 

35 

7 

20 

790  55 

252 

82 

2 

9 

632 

720 

3,245 

53 

23 

25 

1,275  08 

302 

36 

3 

13 

381 

538 

2,373 

36 

9,19 

1,065  66 

266 

45 

2 

10 

555 

663 

3,580 

56 

i5!34 

1,428  79 

453 

4 

14 

446 

521 

2,617 

40 

10  26 

1,133  14 

424 

QI 

3 

II 

697 

808 

3,925 

53 

21  39 

1,633  99 

513 

04 

4 

17 

546 

627 

2, 792 

35 

1430 

1,360  45 

464 

91 

3 

13 

606 

762 

4,252 

63 

2044 

2,157  49 

340 

19 

5 

21 

471 

560 

3,026 

42 

1333 

1,808  43 

269 

41 

4 

16 

1834,  

717 

906 

4,689 

66 

21  44 

2,543  80 

487 

19 

5 

21 

561 

7073.377 

41 

1533 

2,064  41 

404 

61 

4 

16 

1835,  

723 

9705,119 

72 

21  53 

2,540  17 

636 

92 

5 

25 

508 

698  3, 630 

47 

i7'42 

2,011  87 

475 

70 

4 

19 

1836,  

948 

943'5,628 

. 

55 

7 

28 

464 

6173,379 

40 

1330 

1,833  66 

505  04 

4 

16 

1837.  

1,168 

1,420  6,665 

• 

64 

7 

30 

644 

747-3,677 

45 

1837 

2,168  39 

8n 

28 

4 

18 

1838  

7,309 

70 

8 

33 

512 

6643,954 

51 

12  41 

3,090  37 

794  45 

5 

19 

1839  

.  .  17,859 

82 

9 

36 

603 

7ii|4, 206 

50 

r5;43 

3,607  89 

713 

10 

5 

22 

Note. — The  figures  opposite  the  years  indicate  the  aggregates  for  both  conferences.  By 
deducting  the  Eastern  or  lower  figures,  the  statistics  of  the  Western  Conference  for  that  year 
may  be  found.  In  1835  three  circuits  were  transferred  from  the  Eastern  to  the  Western  Con- 
ference, which  accounts  for  the  decrease  in  the  former. 


490 


EN  ANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 
EAST  PA.  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 


525 
476 
796 
1.175 
575 
667 

557 
528 
703 
530 
487 
750 
735 
824 

738 
905 
750 
858 
1,286 
1,209 
1,071 


1.303 
2,029 
2,188 
2,196 
3.005 
2,512 
3.283 
2.741 
2.763 


618 
982 

1.371 
696 

833 
736 
638 
1,041 
620 
691 

875 
878 
960 
865 
1.038 
766 
1, 002 
1.543 
1.397 
251 
1.537 
1.113 
I.IS5 
1,095 
1,242 
r,7i8 
1,562 

1.535 
1,766 

1.563 
1.655 
2,212 
2,012 


2,723 
3.439 
4.372 
4.497 
4,747 
4.790 
4.930 
5.169 
3.910 
4.087 
4.538 
4,829 

5.293 
5.701 
5.967 
6,000 

6,145 
7.009 

7.564 
7.863 
8,299 
8,633 
8,755 
8,793 
8,775 
9,000 

9.507 
9.854 
10,035 
1 1,060 
11,297 
12,470 
13.475 


2,464 


2.177 
2.365 


2,649  14.401 


14,730  115 


2.888  15,959 


14,799  105 
14,998 


21 
*46 
53 
58 
63 
65 
59 
67 
45 
34 
36 
40 
42 
45 
46 
51 
50 
48 

53 
55 
58 
58 
59 
55 
60 

69 
76 
80 
78 
80 
91 
94 
98 
107 


46 


103 
108 
109 
117 
125 
129 

133 
138 
148 

153 


53 
78 
77 
80 
82 
94 
94 

lOI 

94 
83 

79  205  34 


154  27 


177 


177  31 
186  31 

19532 


190  27 


194 


25 


28 


s 

C4 


O 


[783 


35 
41 
42 
47 
58 
65 
70 

67 
75 
86 
80 
79 
84 
86 

95 
97 
104 
112 

"5 
1 29 

143 
146 
149 
160 

174  3.03416,500 
I 

200 
I 

191 


354 
444 
507 
527 
647 
717 
725 
618 
900 
1,630 

964 
1. 071 
1,308 
1,162 
1.389 
1.350 
1,480 
1,811 
1,620 
1,872 
2,196 

2,343 
2,604 

2,555 


80  3, 205 


2,003 

2,363 
2,036 
3.030 
3.646 
3.947 
4.136 
4.532 
5.000 
5.552 
5.395 
5.467  $ 
5.838 
5.898 
6,687 
6,770 
7,622 

8,587 
8.677 
8,972 
10,946 
11,613 
12,849 
14.745 


17.507 
3,396  19,148 


,022  17.729 
3.124  18,174 


1,620 
2,204 
1,881 

3.  "3 
4.562 
7,284 
3.418 
4.540 
4.950 
8,255 
5,924 
7,707 
8,289 

7,831 
7,370 
7,4" 
6,516 
4.739 


*  Includes  itinerant  elders,  deacons  and  travellnc  preachers  on  trial,  t  The  organization 
of  the  New  York  Conference  accounts  for  the  decrease  of  this  year,  t  The  formation  of  the 
Atlantic  Conference  caused  a  decrease. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS.  491 


EAST  PA.  CONFERENCE— 


Year. 

Newly  converted. 

Newly  received. 

Members. 

Itinerant  preachers. 

Local  preachers. 

Churches. 

Parsonages.  | 

Sunday-schools. 

Officers  and 

teachers. 

Scholars. 

Missionary 

contributions. 

Salary. 

2,007 

1,928 

14.790 

91 

84 

195 

30 

191 

3.147 

18,889 

4.272 

1880,  .... 

2,225 

2,027 

14.863 

95 

88 

192 

31 

189 

3.258 

20,083 

7.385 

1881,  .... 

1.549 

1.590 

14,805 

100 

79 

194 

30 

193 

3.258 

19,900 

8,264 

1882,  .... 

1.719 

1,782 

14,867 

98 

88 

191 

32 

187 

3.242 

20,740 

8,705 

1883  

1,926 

1,884 

15.275 

107 

75 

193 

34 

183 

3.215 

20.921 

14,246 

1884  

1.913 

2,088 

15.472 

107 

70 

201 

36 

189 

3.256 

22,356 

12,048 

1885  

1,682 

1.742 

15.763 

"5 

79 

203 

35 

189 

3.234 

22,865 

11,182 

1886  

2,207 

2,152 

16,456 

117 

80 

206 

37 

184 

3.244 

22,504 

10,446 

1887,  .... 

2,062 

2,146 

16,933 

118 

841210 

35 

185 

3.437 

23.569 

13.183 

WEST  PENNSYLVANIA  CONFERENCE. 


(U 

•a" 

U 

y-schools, 

JS 

Ykar. 

convei 

receivt 

numb< 
imbers. 

salary. 

s  and 
tea( 

tn 

Newly 

Newly 

Whole 
me 

Single 

Sunda; 

Officer 

Schola 

298 

$44  16 

549 

55  56 

593 

3.429 

46  87  K 

1843.  

1.384 

4.508 

47  52 

828 

*4.56i 

42  84 

724 

871 

5.200 

44  76 

48  84 

722 

812 

5.152 

52  56 

800 

954 

5.352 

51  84 

77  00 

876 

1.034 

5.927 

44 

398 

2,063 

999 

1.179 

6,105 

80 

584 

3.303 

464 

567 

4,020 

592 

684 

4.203 

45 

4.803 

588 

693 

4.383 

540 

539 

3.906 

479 

604 

4.309 

31 

247 

1.273 

1857.  

646 

753 

4.474 

28 

286 

1,626 

1858,  

800 

923 

4.972 

32 

214 

1. 713 

1859  

784 

929 

5,188 

37 

425 

1,360 

*  Membership  of  Cumberland  Circuit  not  reported  because  of  the  absence  of  Brother  Boas, 
pastor  in  charge,  who  was  taken  ill.  t  No  statistics  published,  t  Owing  to  the  absence  of  a 
number  of  preachers  no  statistics  were  given.  §  The  Pittsburg  Conference  was  constituted, 
hence  the  decrease. 


492 


EVANGELICAL   ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


CENTRAL  PENNSYLVANIA 
(Formerly  the  West  Pa.  Conference.) 


Year. 


J2 

B 


i860, 
1861, 
1862, 
1863, 
1864, 
1865, 
1866, 
1867, 
1868, 
1869, 
1870, 
1871, 
1872, 
1873. 
1874. 
1875. 
1876, 

1877. 
1878, 

1879, 
1880, 
1881, 
1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 


837 


524 
867 

1.599 


2,296 

1.777 
2,694 
2,042 
2,903 
1,941 
2,780 
2.406 
1,968 
1,450 
2,230 
1,667 
1,891 
1,876 
2,200 
2,418 


1,027 
1. 173 


5.689 
6,143 


865 
674 

686 
1,180 
1.177 


6,338 
6,303 
6,221 


45  32 


6,769  45  37 
6,772  47  42 

43 


1,949 
1,487 
2,140 
1,537 
1,964 

1. 519 
2,046 
1,691 
1,656 
1,187 
1,739 
1,375 
1,483 
1.528 
1,424 
1,979 


6,91852 
V.  774  56  49  107 
6,  261 
8,66762 
9,468  63 


43 
43 
55 

10,135  8056 
10,82977  62 
11,0038065 
11,157  85  69 
10,870 
11,023  79  61 
11,21574 
11,6187666 

11,39575 
12,055  7669 
12,227  83 
12,077  78  67 
12,745  8460 


373 
613 


84 
87 
86 
72 

8913 


9417 


u6 
121 
136 
140 
151 
15 
156 
161 
167 
168 
1 84 
185 
I 


606 
609 
623 
606 
794 


"3 
128 


19  127 
19  128 


12.757  86  59 
13,734  92  58  216  29  197 


19423 
9923 
25 
428 


I 

201 
21 


131 
153 
161 
167 
178 
177 

173 
182 
177 
170 
188 


1,410 
1,506 

1,654 

1,627 

i,8o' 

1,89 

2,309 

1,977 

2,234 

2, 255 
2, 21 
2, 228 
2,199 
2, 288 
2,237 
2,275 


8,83/ 
9,755 
10,730 
11,978 
12,318 
19,091 
14,264 
14,452 
13,611 
13,646 
14,210 
15,288 
16,568 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


493 


PITTSBURG  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 

-0 

V 

5 

u 

Newly  received. 

1852,*  

423 

1853,   

528 

1854,  

496 

607 

•i855,t  

505 

609 

1856,   

276 

1857,   

519 

642 

1858, 

730 

776 

1859  

544 

i860,  

485 

1861,   

780 

18624  

721 

1863,   

748 

1864,  

568 

1865,   

368 

1866,  

693 

763 

1867,   

832 

1868  

1869  

1870,   

1871,   

1,108 

1. 130 

1872  

1,186 

1,196 

1873.   

842 

841 

1874  

1,442 

1.256 

1875,  

1,716 

1,762 

1876,   

1.485 

1.390 

1877,  

1,289 

1,258 

1878,  

1,489 

1,420 

1879.   

1,180 

1,115 

1880,   

1. 194 

1,102 

i88i  

862 

938 

1882,   

1,512 

1.289 

1883,   

1,019 

1,029 

1884,  

1.263 

1.257 

1885,   

1,698 

1.472 

1886  

1,207 

1,102 

1887,  

1,414 

1,362 

S 


2,790 
3,486 
3,498 
3.348 
3.414 
3.818 
3.81 1 
4,292 
4,171 
5,237 
4,132 
5,247 
5,484 

4 
4. 

4.870 
5,223  35 
5.384  38  30 
5.692  41 
6, 


.968  39  35 
.858  3635 
33  37 
28 

30 

.  38 
279  48  39 
7.053  50  38 

7 
7 
7 
7 

7: 
7: 
7 

7.582 

7 

.1 
8, 


.803  55  44 
.457  56  43 


.735  57  53 
I  6045 
,746  59  47 
177  63  38 
,517  6042 
8,858  63  38 
9.2 

8,71263  45 


375  4740  113 
068  55  36 


786  5840  125 
139 
131 


635  59  49  143 
967  61  46 


151 
170 

143 
145 
155 
155 
156 

25  65  39  152 


54 
53 
52 
54 
65 
57 
71 
70 

75 
81 

95 
112 


160 


109 
206 
378 
212 
344 
433 
389 


527 
562 

509 
660 
740 
737 
754 


992 
1,227 
1,247 
1.348 
1,385 
1,550 
1,455 
1.363 
1,434 
1,316 

1,309 
1,414 

1. 519 
1.505 
1.443 
1,503 
1,583 


576 
866 
1.346 
1,146 
4.450 
1,8  ■ 
1,760 


2,630 

3.033 
1,640 

2.859 
3.703 
3.649 
4. 1 19 


9.431 
9,708 

9. 


5.122 

6,327 
6,466 
7,627 
7.098 
10,558 
7.707 
8,281 
8,338 
8,055 
8,056 
8,465 
9,069  149  27 
9.470  152  30 


62 
58 
69 
74 
71 
75 
75 
79 
80 

84 
90 
94 
90 

"3 
113 
121 
118 
128 

131 
130 
1.^6 


158 
161 
986  160  33 


♦Statistics  incomplete  t  Statistics  incomplete.  +A  number  of  charges  in  Virginia  were 
practically  abandoned,  owing  to  the  Civil  War,  hence  the  decrease. 


494  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


OHIO  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 


E 


441 


347 
461 
367 
377 
411 

345 
534 
592 
400 
419 
716 
539 


596 


822 
940 
886 

1.338 
905 

1,487 


545  4.658  S46 

6781 

67013,638 
850  4, 190 
7794.521 
5243,923 


4033.257 
49413,908 

596  4.147 
5044,272 

556  4.451 
6003,841 

563  4.135 
741  4.392 
791  4,667 
5584.718 
599  4.457 
931  4,806 

8135.213 
948  5.439 
515  3.222 
.039  5.809 
923  6, 140 
759  6,157 
582  5.451 
897  5.456 
9045.530 
.  .  6,079 
.  .  6,398 
.  .  6,489 
952  6,716 
985  6.838 
978  6,935 
.366  7.598 
.124  7.975 
,4368,455 


18 
68 

64  39  56 
So 
98 
08 
52 
52 
10 
43 
32 
00 


4065 
45  55 

42  58 

43  59 
4254 
53  53 
53  54 
5657 
62  6i 
67  58 
6865 
6959 


O 


44 
47 
48 

35 
40 

54 
46 
40 

60 
60 
35 
74 
84 
75 
67 
68 

73 
83 
89 

96 
108 

115 
112 

131 
138 
130 


231 
250 
356 
200 
422 
432 
408 

427 

612 
566 
367 
732 
778 
798 
672 

777 
783 


1,225 
1,100 
1,219 
1,519 
1,595 
1,509 


979 
1.347 
1,487 
1.135 
2,433 
2,309 
6,385 
1,781 

2,352 
2,647 
1,592 
3,934 
4,436 
3,886 
1,257 
3.472 
3.672 


,926  113 
9, 104  138 
9.705 


90 
104 
loo 
108 


6,368 113  26 

6,447 
6,631 


120  29 

127  : 


28 
28 
28 

149130: 


•The  decrease  is  owing  to  the  formation  of  the  Illinois  Conference. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 
OHIO  CONFERENCE.— ConUnued. 


496 


1,134 
721 

1,149 
1,004 
721 
658 
996 
997 
1,378 
i,45o 
1,063 


E 
3 
c 


.3057.371 
,085  7,484 
032  7,526 

975  7,983 
9177,792 
821  7,746 
,0907,990 
,o82]8,i7o 
,34418,427 
,2838,424 

.1138,535 


54  57 
5261 
5664 
5460 
57  59129 
117 


127 
127 
127 
129 


5464 
56  58135 
127 

135 
139 


56  55 
64  46 
62  49 


63  54  134 


372 

530 
421 

451 
522 
416 
308 
664 

633 
812 
804 


8,287 

8,413 
8,256 
9,028 
8,337 
9.699 
6,574 
9,305 
9,585 
10,719 
10,462 


13424 
135  26 


131 


23 


135  24 
134  24 


136 
137 
141 


139  24 


142 


27 


145  27 


496  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


ILLINOIS  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 

Newly  converted. 

Newly  received. 

Whole  number  of  members. 

Itinerant  preachers.  | 

Local  preachers.  | 

Churches. 

Parsonages.  | 

Sunday-Schools. 

Officer  and  teachers. 

Scholars. 

Missionary  collections. 

246 

1,048 

224 

1847.  

216 

1,466 

2Q2 

551 

1,980 

454 

637 

2,613 

486 

687 

2,985 

28 

282 

I,OOI 

185 1  

650 

845 

5Q7 

45 

306 

1,383 

474 

6qs 

yo 

■^.Q'^6 

36 

24Q 

1,211 

1853,  t  

542 

673 

2.825 

28 

283 

1,046 

672 

815 

3.505 

1855  

815 

1,067 

4,109 

34 

263 

936 

717 

943 

4,642 

544 

644 

3.575 

27 

331 

1.425 

1858  

940 

1,074 

4,110 

32 

368 

1.357 

726 

956 

4.639 

41 

II 

51 

580 

2.135 

5.177 

32 

8 

553 

4.501 

• 

45 

14 

59 

572 

2,'528 

>3-333 

823 

5.075 

54 

15 

60 

618 

2.542 

3.982 

600 

5.258 

51 

14 

66 

670 

2,911 

2,411 

384 

5.098 

39 

46 

56 

18 

66 

731 

3.056 

3.050 

1865  

657 

5. 191 

45 

46 

60 

i8 

63 

712 

3.196 

4.798 

1866  

919 

5.691 

49 

58 

63 

25 

72 

824 

3.285 

5.580 

827 

935 

6,148 

53 

56 

66 

25 

81 

958 

4-297 

7,702 

6,538 

54 

59 

74 

30 

89 

7,062 

61 

62 

82 

35 

99 

1,114 

1,041 

7.526 

70 

61 

88 

39 

105 

1,420 

6,483 

7.076 

1,087 

8,009 

65 

63 

91 

42 

115 

1. 513 

7.178 

5.190 

753 

874 

8.238 

70 

69 

94 

42 

116 

1.623 

8,007 

6,074 

1873  

644 

824 

8,171 

73 

72 

99 

46 

1 20 

1,618 

8,383 

6,866 

1.445 

8.749 

75 

71 

lOI 

46 

123 

1,772 

4,080 

12.752 

1875  

938 

1,127 

8,831 

83 

70 

107 

48 

127 

1,786 

9.334 

9.518 

928 

944 

9,006 

85 

63 

"3 

48 

149 

1,992 

10,614 

7,284 

1877  

1,780 

1.859 

io,o62j83 

115 

51 

147 

2,070 

11,003 

6.567 

•The  salary  of  the  missionaries  was  only  $35.28,  while  that  of  the  circuit  preachers 
amounted  to  $72. 24.  The  latter  unanimously  deducted  $12.24  from  their  salary  and  added  it 
to  that  of  the  missionaries,  making  the  salaries  $47-52  each  for  the  missionaries  and  $60.00  for 
the  circuit  missionaries.  tThe  Indiana  Conference  formed — hence  the  decrease.  I  The  Wis- 
consin Conference  formed— previous  session  caused  the  decrease. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS.  497 
ILLINOIS  CONFERENCE— 


Year. 


1878, 

1879. 
1880, 
1881, 
1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 


1,085 

1,021 
849 
916 
900 
965 

1,185 
911 
956 

1,022 


188 
029 
025 
136 
176 

lOO 

523 
241 


10,178  84  77 
10,21: 
10, 
10, 
10, 

10,70889  75 
10,989  89  77 
10,882  84  70 


387  76 
207  82  73 
434  S3  82 
',571 


228  10,950  88  68| 
292  11,326  99  64  132  62 


117  52 
122 


122 


52 
55 
12354 
87  76  125  55 
126  56 
130  58 
129  61 


132 


63 


142 
147 
148 

147 
144 
141 

145 
149 

147 
149 


O 


199 
084 
166 
150 
173 

209 

253 
270 


617 

308 
471 

,858 

695 
787 
005 
423 


8,169 
7,686 
6,312 

12,513 
14,  ic8 
15-766 
16,697 
8,581 


2, 

2,32013,418 


848  14,614 
14-053 


498  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 

NEW  YORK  CONFERENCE. 


1848, 
1849, 
1850, 
1851. 
1852, 
1853. 
1854. 
1855, 
1856, 

1857. 
1858, 

1859. 

i860, 

1861, 

1862, 

1863, 

1864,  * 

1865. 

1866, 

1867, 

1868, 

1869, 

1870, 

1871, 

1872, 

1873. 

1874. 

1875. 

1876, 

1877. 
1878, 

1879. 
1880, 
1881, 
1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 


Year. 


1.837 
2,148 
2,285 

2,524 
2,856 

395  554  3.165 
566  3.365 
5303.590 
469647  3,711 


304422 
366  525 
257  393 
262  416 

437  570 


8569864,689 
6044,703 
628  4,065 
654  5.372 
5.413 


67  22 
9427 


89 
117 
128 
28  194 


36  225 
40230 
38  264 


50370 
144  28  54  469 
72572 
74 
76 


467 
637 
732 
1,051 


1.235 
1,292 

1,378 


2, 099  .  . 
2,244  .  . 
2,556  $2,143 

2,797  •  • 
4,004 


066  24 


253  3 
3173,021 


3153.032 
3.043  27 
27 


3,222 
3- 
3. 
3. 

184  338  3.621 


30632 


489  28 
63930 
585  32 

34 


668755  3,962  36 
360439  4,056  37 
448  527  4, 259  39 
448  527  4, 247  37 
340422  4.138  35 
4,  lOI 


36  304 


38 


2^ 

267  393  4. 108  38 


I 

308448  4,187  39 
332  452  4, 252  38 
65  39 


374  4. 2 
4105604,374  39 
3184084,476  38 


12 


38402 
14  40410 
1544 


2,077 
2,011 
2,159 


3.677 
2,184 
2,061 


1545 
1654 
1852 
19  68  607 
25  60630  3,054 
58  661 


2,964 


3.08I 
1959  690  3,124 
7143,221 
.769 

59  23  658173,469 
587633.510 
,458 


58 


56  23  57 
55 
57 
58 


750  3 
747  3.470 
776  3- 556 
789  3,612 


59  23  58  763  3.585 


275  3644.397  3816 


413  431 


4.561  44 


3.832 
.933 

65  24578043,703 

66  23  57  785  3,827 


2456871 
24  60  802  3 


2,626 
3.113 
5.196 
4.421 
3.356 
2,685 
2,995 
3.045 
2,777 
2.389 
2,641 
3.848 

3,058 
2,087 
3,048 
4-077 


*The  decrease  was  due  to  the  formation  of  the  Canada  Conference. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


499 


INDIANA  CONFERENCE. 


1853. 
1854, 

1855. 
1856, 
1857, 
1858, 

1859. 
i860, 
1861, 
1862, 
1863, 
1864, 
1865, 
1866, 
1867, 
1868, 
1869, 
1870, 
1871, 
1872, 
1873. 
1874, 
i875> 
1876, 

1877.* 
1878, 

i879> 
1880, 
1881, 
1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 


Year. 


235 
176 
221 
236 
434 
447 
368 


360 
344 
339 
555 


417 
675 
520 
1,028 
565 
855 
487 
475 
375 
442 
781 

579 
761 
902 
672 
1,001 
751 


J3 

a 

s 
a 


292 
250 
320 
342 
692 
611 
545 


486 
544 
583 
534 
670 
644 


582 
795 
850 

1.344 
885 

1,012 
578 
576 
648 
540 
955 
754 
739 
837 
753 

1,066 
901 


1.445 
1.519 
1,746 
1.936 
2,874 

3.131 
3.500 
3.836 
3.989 
4.067 
4.364 
4.519 
4,049 

4.449 
4,672 

4.987 
5.165 
5,353 
5.777 
5.909 
6,053 
6.631 

6,723 
6,944 
5.042 
5.242 
5.224 
5,285 
5.581 
4.792 
5.871 
6,162 
5.906 
6,470 
6,710 


23 
21 

24 

30 
33 
35 
23 
51 

56 
53 
64 
67 
77 
85 
87 
84 
96 

lOI 

100 

"5 
118 
114 
124 

94 
80 
81 
84 
78 

83 
102 

87 
94 
90 


O 


143 
179 
217 
261 
278 
258 
237 
521 

555 
573 
586 
607 
774 
817 


1. 125 
1,144 
1.304 
1.457 
1.378 
r.435 
131 
913 
964 
995 
935 
992 
1,096 
1,086 

1. 154 
1,221 
1,221 


490 
618 
706 
844 

1. 139 
955 

1,119 

1.732 

2,021 
2,339 
2,543 
2,638 

3.431 
3.971 


5,330 
5.080 
6,271 
7,686 
6,322 
7.156 
5.570 
4.568 
5.011 
5.091 
5.247 
5.640 
6,032 

6,157 
6,036 

4.933 
7,107 


109; 
112 . 
Ill 
116 , 

87 
88 

93 
97 
98 

lOI 

103 
105 

103  ; 

104  ; 
lOI 


♦Decrease  is  owing  to  the  fonnation  of  the  South  Indiana  Conference. 


500  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


WISCONSIN  CONFERENCE. 


1857. 
1858, 

1859. 
i860, 
1861, 
1862. 
1863, 
1864. 
1865. 
1866, 
1867, 
1868, 
1869, 
I870, 
1871, 
1872, 
1873. 
1874. 
1875. 
1876, 
1877, 
1878, 

1879. 
1880, 
1881. 
1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 


Year. 


378 

694 
68r 


579 
554 
665 
738 


730 
710 
691 

.247 
922 

739 
1,038 
766 

813 
602 
518 
740 
576 
825 
790 
819 
782 


514 

896 
807 
476 
474 
739 
726 
677 
806 
968 


821 

779 

807 
1,366 
1.058 

909 
1,098 

844 
1.033 
878 
701 
1,059 
1,009 
1,270 
1,038 
1,024 
1,030 


2,004 

3,256 
3.794 
3.667 
3.783 
4,066 

4,439 
4,859 
5,201 

5,793 
6.372 
6,811 

7,437 
7,672 

7.990 
8,038 

8,739 
9-123 
9.310 
9.782 
9.920 
10,054 
10,097 
10.003 

10,355 
10,467 
10.831 
11,171 

11.399 
11,620 


5014 


6423 
69  25 

79  28 
83  34 
9034 
9538 


1 10  39 
1184 


122 
122 
121 


14952 
15052 
153  43 
15653 


o 
o 


c 


24 

52 
62 

63 

60 

78 

88 

97 
100 
109 
107 
114 
126 
141 
141 


102 


10740147 


39 


13044 
134  46 
I 

143  49  186 
186 
184 
181 
181 


156 
167 
171 
170 

173 
171 
178 
182 


O 


163 

374 
370 
488 
498 
548 


629 

1,278 
1. 516 
1,811 
1,844 
2, 240 


5842,5473017 


598 
651 


842  3,692  47 
41 


2,840 
3,100 


17 
19 
19 
20 
50  27 
53  25 
074  5,473  54  30 
209  5,862  53  30 
289  6,000 

299  6,19954  27 
462  6,77756  36 
5187,352603 
5837,3926427 
608  7,612  64  27 
695  7.7776324 
7548,05966  26 
804  8, 243  63  26 
883  8,7356524 
928  8,726  67 
999  9,070  68 
000  9,800 
0569,202' 
056]9,203!73  28 


25 
20 
24 
70  28 


*This  amount  is  from  the  auxiliaries  and  doesaot  represent  the  aggregate  which  is  not  given. 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


501 


IOWA  CONFERENCE. 


1861, 
1862, 
1863, 
1864, 
1865, 
1866, 
1868, 
1869, 
1870, 
1871, 
1872, 
1873. 
1874, 
1875. 
1876,* 

1877, 
1878, 
1879, 
1880, 
1881, 
1882, 
1883, 


1886, 
1887, 


Year. 


810 
871 
655 
1,108 
762 

347 
603 
420 
427 
280 
262 

309 
225 

535 
252 
404 
532 


J2 

B 


499 


467 
488 
370 
554 


1,028 
929 

833 
1,294 
1,186 

571 
820 
550 
663 

439 
437 
479 
463 
704 

477 
478 
710 


1,605 

1,895 
2,104 

2,458 
2.444 
2,980 
2,553 
3,034 
3,614 
4,173 
4,762 

4,717 
5,260 
5,702 
3,328 
3,780 
3,080 
4,198 
3,583 
3,652 
3,724 
3,813 
4,159 
4,018 
4,406 
4,825 


17 
23 

34 
46 
48 
59 
38 
44 
67 
79 
78 
89 
91 
106 

75 
91 
97 

107 

75 
86 

91 
94 
103 
104 
102 
106 


O 


119 

234 
331 
309 
456 


839 
742 
836 
1,025 
987 

831 
877 
1,048 

850 
892 
907 

1,054 
080 
1,051 
1,129 


386 
1,105 
1,787 
1,138 
1,362 
2,020 


3,037 
3,002 
3,261 
3.870 
5,004 
2,825 
3,247 
3,526 
4,060 
3,677 
3,487 
3,572 
3,883 
4,130 
4,067 
4,240 
4,709 


51,419 

2,447 
892 

1,923 
2,15s 


1,435 
1,478 
3,100 
3,545 
3,957 
2,591 
2,667 

4,153 
3'Oi9 
2,960 
3,561 
4,240 
4,467 
5,932 
6,828 
6,092 
5,222 


*The  decrease  is  owing  to  the  {ormation  of  the  Des  Moines  Conference. 


502  ENANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


KANSAS  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 


r865, 
1866, 
1867, 
1868, 
1869, 
X870, 
1871, 
1872, 
1873. 
1874, 
1875. 
1876, 

1877. 
1878, 

1879. 
1880, 
1881, 
1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 


34 

108 


51 
137 


176 
250 
412 
607 
696 


165 
179 
160 

319 
209 
284 

245 
210 


235 
244 
280 
446 
333 
387 
365 
388 


8093 


727  3 


240  527 
500 
358 
550 
269 
370 
593 
625 
717 


r,i25 
1. 517 
1,423  25 
1,694  24 
1,848  23 
2,156  26 
2, 249' 28 
2,382  32 
2.646  37 
087  41 


590  3,245  40  32  33 


.512 

363  3,4093428  38 
5673.7723831  41 
525  3,9234026  46 
8994,442  553452 


1,041 


21 


156 
211 
9  29  225 


824 


931 


2430 


38  35  36 


296 
39316 
45  364 
45  455 
13  48  470 
I 

20 
21 
21 
21 


1,660 
1,900 
2,429 
2,606 

2,973 
68  663  3,000 


8  52  504 
63  605 
63  626 
64655 


4*878  58  30  56  2686839  4 


23  65  649  3,864 
25727303.453 
30  83  830  3 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS.  603 


CANADA  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 

Newly  converted. 

Newly  received. 

Whole  number  of  members. 

1  Itinerant  preachers.  | 

1  Local  preachers. 

Churches. 

j  Parsonages. 

1  Sunday-schools. 

Officers  and  teachers. 

Scholars. 

Missionary  contributions. 

485 

472 

2,810 

25 

14 

40 

13 

38 

354 

1,723 

$2,704 

305 

2,842 

23 

14 

48 

13 

39 

347 

I  779 

1,548 

345 

2,986 

27 

1 1 

47 

13 

46 

415 

2,008 

1,727 

2,956 

26 

1 1 

52 

15 

52 

3.070 

30 

14 

53 

16 

54 

3.417 

30 

14 

55 

16 

59 

423 

395 

3-427 

31 

1 1 

60 

17 

60 

586 

3.107 

2,291 

343 

308 

3.664 

33 

12 

62 

17 

60 

620 

4,350 

2,975 

311 

371 

3.727 

32 

12 

60 

18 

67 

724 

3.793 

4,170 

480 

515 

3.856 

32 

13 

67 

19 

67 

787 

4.223 

3.795 

1875.  . 

366 

358 

3.946 

33 

II 

66 

21 

70 

793 

4. 282 

3.535 

599 

709 

4,148 

36 

II 

69 

23 

69 

823 

4.325 

5.906 

489 

666 

4.459 

39 

13 

69 

22 

69 

923 

5,487 

4,020 

402 

523 

4.621 

34 

14 

66 

23 

73 

984 

4,917 

7,287 

367 

544 

4.684 

35 

15 

67 

25 

82 

988 

5,289 

4,091 

608 

743 

4,920 

37 

19 

67 

23 

77 

983 

5,999 

3.276 

1881  , 

527 

643 

5.088 

36 

17 

74 

25 

79 

1,041 

5.434 

4,182 

1882 

386 

730 

5.043 

40 

19 

73 

25 

72 

1.025 

5,332 

4,355 

344 

441 

5.066 

37 

18 

74 

25 

82 

1,007 

5,320 

6,204 

580 

620 

5.292 

38 

20 

74 

27 

81 

1,015 

5,654 

4,675 

1885,  . 

543 

704 

4.580 

43 

23 

77 

28 

67 

1,069 

5,783 

4,134 

1886,  . 

490 

524 

5.689 

43 

25 

78 

30 

82 

1,058 

5,868 

4,276 

399 

529 

5,770 

48 

23 

79 

29 

81 

1,077 

5,959 

5,403 

504 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 
MICHIGAN  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 


1865. 
1866, 
1867, 
1868. 
1869, 
1870, 
1871. 
1872, 
1873- 
1874. 
1875. 
1876. 

1877. 
187S. 
1979. 
1880, 
1881. 
1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
1 88  s, 
1886. 
1887, 


"3 


566 
301 
417 
720 

789 
997 
755 
705 
640 
619 
556 
687 

485 
782 
961 
1,191 
975 


225 
315 


1.414 
1.369 
.  .  1,892 

•  ■  2 
.  .  2,491 

•  •  2, 
5933-23033 
337  3.291  36 
4863,34237 


743  3 
885  4,2: 


751 


144  23  23 

26  23  28 
860  30  19  32 


66038 


85  35 


902  4,600  40  23 


4.931 


18  16  16 


17 
24  18 
21 


2434 
20 
22 
22 


38 
46 
46 
23  53 


42  2864  23 


847  5.055  45;32  65 
737  5.30947134  67  25 
7035.302  45136  70  25 
679  5,419  44  4ij72  26 
647  5,442  46  38  77  27 
48137  77  29 


613  5,611 

9325,990471408028 
1.033  6.332511428428 

999  6,516  54139  91 
972  6,929  57|37|96  29H4 


58  19 


14 
20 

31 
27 
35 
44 
50 
54 
64 
69 
82 
86 
96 
94 
97 
108 

lOI 

102 
104 

99 
106 
30  105 


O 


no 
124 


o 
U 

c 
o 


323  *  97S 


576 
1,074 


423 
487 
538 


1.739 
1.952 
■  2, 
654  2,865 
725  3.210 
821  3,889 
928  4.134 
9684,319 


3- 550 
3.679 
.313 


9554.356  4,470 
1,0134,671 

1.023  4.661 

1.024  5.069 
1,081  4,926  3,926 
1.073  5.249  3.833 
1,1165,589  5,583 
1,106  5,951  4,915 
1,5466,6954,304 


1,185 


2,562 
2,427 
393  4.267 
3,000 
2,900 
2.585 
3.658 
2,689 


CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 
MINNESOTA  CONFERENCE. 


605 


1868, 
1869. 
1870. 
1871, 
1872, 
1873, 
1874. 
1875. 
1876, 

1877. 

1878,  • 

1879. 

1880, 

1 881. 

1882. 

1883, 

1884, 

1885, 

1886, 

1887, 


Year. 


230  311 
203 
242  327 
432604 


441 


323  577  3 


791 


1,536  18 

1.743 
2,059 
2, 
2, 

2,424  28 
2, 

3'0 


,223  25 
.376  27 


-79031 


326  491  3,076  36 
5196103,399  38 

467  531 
472 


3,60941 
586  3,801  42 


,978  45 
4, 292  44 


324  533  4,436  48 
640990  4,81850 

446  833  5, 140  52 
4174954,18038 

447  5964,48940 
397  5964,78740 
5136664,93441 


10 
12 
16  13 
19  13 


613 
5  15 
5 
7 
5 

26  17 
7  29  18 
18 
18 


23 
50  23 
53  25 


7  33 

635 

845 
1247 
12 
12 

13  63  26 

14  69  28 
12  72  28 

9  70  28 
96630 
6730 
69  33 


65 
74 
79 

88 

89 
96 
98 
III 

113 
119 

125 
95 
97 
99 

104 


i£ 
O 


390 


525 
612 

633 
810 


,025  3 
,0683 


1,911 
2,267 
2,442 
2,705 
023 
3-069 
,200 

3.535 
,676 
0994.056 


8373 
891 

9033 
I, on 

990  3: 

I, 

1,1534,164 
I, 
I, 

1,101 
I,  I 


696 
910 
4,134 


286,396 


1.595  |2, 810 

3. 194 
4,305 
4.259 
3.904 
4.927 
4,370 
6,283 
5.645 
5.218 
6,805 
7-031 
7.403 
6,221 

6,417 
7.702 

6,794 


506  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


ATLANTIC  CONFERENCE. 


ui 
u 
a 

a 
0 

^ 

in 

X  EAR. 

verted. 

ived. 

of  Mem 

■eachers. 

;hers. 

lools. 

nd  teachei 

contribu 

a 

u 
0 

6 

0. 

u 

0 

o 

ii 

c 

a. 

lA 

C3 

c« 
is 

Cl 
M 

M 

B 

>< 

> 

>> 
> 

1) 
"o 

c« 

V 

"a 

c 

0 

c/1 

c« 

•V 

<U 

"3 

'ui 

Nev 

V 

Wh 

Itin 

1  Loc 

.a 

U 

a 

Ph 

1  Sun 

Offi 

Sch 

Mis 

14 

13 

14 

10 

20 

315 

2,015 

202 

253 

1.798 

^5 

21 

17 

13 

20 

344 

1,889 

«2,434 

235 

228 

1,940 

17 

15 

19 

14 

20 

356 

2,282 

2,278 

160 

262 

2 '020 

19 

16 

20 

14 

21 

378 

2,414 

2,550 

216 

304 

2,148 

20 

10 

21 

13 

24 

392 

2,682 

2,774 

178 

335 

2,195 

20 

15 

22 

13 

25 

417 

2,840 

3,267 

183 

365 

2.339 

21 

13 

21 

14 

26 

434 

2,943 

3.584 

208 

351 

2,438 

25 

9 

23 

14 

26 

433 

2,950 

4,069 

232 

424 

2,616 

23 

9 

21 

13 

24 

423 

3,121 

4.527 

201 

331 

2,557 

22 

6 

20 

12 

27 

448 

3,509 

5,025 

130 

246 

2,540 

23 

9 

22 

II 

26 

433 

3-704 

4,576 

146 

293 

2,500 

23 

9 

22 

12 

25 

449 

3.718 

6,248 

ERIE  CONFERENCE. 


2,065 

1877  

217 

301 

2,459 

25 

12 

33 

9 

32 

399 

$1,700 

188 

269 

2,624 

26 

II 

37 

9 

34 

460 

2,320 

2,204 

245 

322 

2,685 

27 

14 

37 

9 

37 

510 

2,359 

2,892 

109 

205 

2,782 

31 

10 

38 

9 

41 

519 

2,934 

2,020 

263 

336 

2,924 

31 

8 

39 

12 

48 

523 

2,958 

2,608 

294 

373 

2,998 

31 

12 

40 

II 

40 

551 

2,986 

4,074 

251 

432 

3,013 

32 

14 

40 

II 

44 

571 

3,094 

4.248 

357 

452 

3,290 

38 

13 

42 

II 

42 

618 

3,400 

2,989 

336 

419 

3.540 

39 

14 

42 

12 

43 

625 

3,633 

3.143 

3" 

377 

3.544 

40 

13 

44 

12 

44 

640 

3.720 

4,220 

3-597 

37 

17 

42 

12 

45 

654 

3.789 

CONFERENCE  RECORDS.  507 


SOUTH  INDIANA  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 

Newly  converted. 

Newly  Received. 

Whole  No.  of  members. 

Itinerant  preachers. 

Local  preachers.  1 

Churches. 

1  Parsonages. 

Sunday-Schools. 

Officers  and  teachers. 

Scholars. 

Missionary  conributions. 

156 

198 

1,794 

20 

7 

33 

16 

35 

428 

2,028 

$2,105 

76 

100 

1,819 

21 

8 

33 

16 

36 

358 

1.958 

2.699 

197 

233 

1,896 

20 

10 

32 

13 

37 

391 

1.833 

2,227 

231 

293 

2,046 

21 

S> 

35 

16 

38 

429 

2,055 

1,850 

156 

227 

2,145 

20 

35 

17 

38 

449 

2,160 

1,818 

215 

303 

2,250 

22 

12 

36 

19 

38 

443 

2,220 

2,002 

152 

210 

2, 293 

22 

12 

37 

20 

38 

468 

2,244 

2.601 

205 

218 

2,329 

22 

13 

38 

19 

39 

509 

2,171 

2,381 

207 

258 

2,399 

21 

13 

38 

20 

37 

510 

2,349 

2,036 

1886 

84 

187 

2,367 

21 

15 

38 

19 

39 

509 

2,252 

1,940 

1887, 

204 

219 

2,739 

22 

13 

39 

20 

37 

499 

2,392 

2,115 

DES  MOINES  CONFERENCE. 


784 

842 

2,781 

27 

18 

22 

14 

30 

293 

1,636 

Si,i39 

847 

836 

3,018 

29 

21 

21 

14 

36 

386 

1,953 

751 

1878  

376 

538 

2,950 

29 

26 

23 

13 

55 

487 

2,392 

1,243 

555 

713 

3,121 

38 

28 

23 

14 

55 

552 

2,804 

1,250 

708 

788 

3-274 

34 

35 

21 

16 

57 

513 

2,750 

1,376 

I88I,  

585 

604 

3,615 

39 

38 

29 

18 

62 

585 

3,440 

2,000 

530 

573 

3,076 

34 

29 

26 

19 

46 

419 

2,564 

1.859 

387 

470 

3,045 

35 

25 

28 

20 

62 

463 

3,016 

1,781 

830 

808 

3,341 

32 

30 

34 

22 

62 

519 

3.526 

1,820 

1885  

661 

890 

3,612 

45 

32 

41 

27 

60 

584 

3,705 

1,911 

1886,  

665 

642 

3,710 

43 

33 

40 

27 

66 

592 

2,672 

1,819 

836 

966 

3,832 

41 

29 

41 

27 

68 

634 

4,000 

1,495 

*The  decrease  is  owing  to  the  formation  of  th»  Platte  River  Conference 


508  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


PACIFIC  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 

Newly  converted. 

Newly  received. 

Whole  No.  of  members. 

Itinerant  preachers.  | 

I  Local  preachers.  | 

I  Churches.  | 

Parsonages.  | 

Sunday-Schools.  | 

Officers  and  teachers. 

Scholars. 

Missionary  contributions. 

1878  

1879.  

1881,  

1882,  

1883  

256 
107 

87 
119 

80 
132 
15s 

263 
168 
148 
212 
146 
187 
209 

487 
589 
658 
708 

749 
826 
890 

6 
6 
7 
9 
10 
II 
12 

I 
I 

3 
4 
4 
5 
4 

4 

6 
6 

9 
10 

13 
14 

4 
4 

5 
7 
8 

9 
10 

7 
12 

14 
13 
16 
20 
21 

69 
no 

97 
no 

IS7 
166 
191 

354 
600 
671 
698 
817 
1,216 
1,126 

S323 
344 
493 
590 
522 
817 
950 

CALIFORNIA  CONFERENCE. 

1884,  

1885,  

1886,  

14 
44 
24 
20 

33 
"5 
81 

79 

257 
302 

341 

360 

5 
7 
7 
7 

2 
2 

4 

5 
6 
6 
7 

4 

6 

5 
6 

7 

9 
8 
10 

69 
87 
93 
108 

425 
589 
706 
770 

$434 

908 
841 

OREGON  CONFERENCE. 

1884  

1885  

1886  

1887  

71 
171 
264 
258 

III 

235 
297 
3.S 

686 
849 
1,000 

J. 137 

9 
1 1 
10 
«3 

4 
S 
4 

8 

12 

>3 
16 

19 

6 
7 
7 
7 

15 
23 
24 
32 

124 
138 

230 
291 

650 
1.059 
1.368 
1,608 

>43I 
813 
904 
780 

CONFERENCE  RECORDS. 


509 


NEBRASKA  CONFERENCE. 


Year. 


u 


1880, 
1881, 
1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
188s, 
1886, 
1887. 


31 
75 
121 


90 
124 
199 


144  241 


126 


267 


253  391 
1 76  244 
128  261 


67s 
761 
927 
1,069 
1,148 

1,413 
1,428 
1,598 


7 
II 
II 

13 
18 

23 
27 

727 


22  139 
26  219 
15  30244 
36  282 
6  36  311 
42403 
15  44414 
17  46  460 


566 
671 
955 
1,113 
1,140 

1,493 
1,507 
1,491 


PLATTE  RIVER  CONFERENCE. 


1882, 
1883, 
1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 


151 


207 
194 


260  292 
322  302 

364417 
578  695 


634 
726 

893 

I,  018 

II,  91 
1,678  23 


5  14 

6  16 
13  18 
12  21 
1425 

»9 


114 
121 
154 
154 
208 


5256 


655 
567 
752 
728 
1,044 
1,395 


DAKOTA  CONFERENCE. 


1884, 
1885, 
1886, 
1887, 


132  294 

264  433 
230  411 

240  393 


1,247  29 


1,575 
1,881 


2,062  27 


4  41  244 

5  49  318 
59441 


7  61 


460 


861 
1,042 
1,562 
1,627 


$1,122 
2,182 

3.905 
2,569 


510 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


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BIOGRAPHICAL  DEPARTMENT. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


PART  III. 

Containing  Biographies  of  Jacob  Albright  and  His 

COLABORERS  AND    OF   BiSHOPS    SeYBERT,    LoNG,    AND  OrWIG, 

WITH  Briefer  Notices  of  Many  Other  Ministers  of  the 
Evangelical  Association. 


511* 


Jacob  Albright  and  His  Colaborers. 


My  thoughts  are  with  the  dead,  with  them,  \ 

I  live  in  long  past  years, 
Their  virtues  love,  their  faults  condemn, 

Partake  their  hopes  and  fears, 
And  from  their  lessons  seek  and  find 
Instruction,  and  an  humble  mind. 

My  hopes  are  with  the  dead,  anon 

My  place  with  them  shall  be. 
And  I  with  them  shall  travel  on 

Through  all  eternity, 
Yet  leaving  here  a  name  I  trust 
That  will  not  perish  in  the  dust. — Southey. 


JACOB  ALBRIGHT. 

Near  Pottstown,  Moatgomery  County,  Pa.,  at  what  is  locally 
known  as  the  Fox  Mountain,  was  born  May  i,  1759,  Jacob 
Albright,  who  was  singled  out  in  the  providence  of  God  to 
inaugurate  a  work,  the  influence  of  which  has  spread  and  is 
already  felt  on  three  continents,  and  bids  fair  to  widen  in  its 
influence  with  the  on-coming  years,  until  its  power,  as  a  factor 
in  the  salvation  of  the  human  race,  shall  be  felt  in  every  quarter 
of  the  globe. 

His  father  was  John  Albright,  who  emigrated  from  the 
Palatinate,  Germany,  in  1750.  So  far  as  known,  his  early  life 
was  uneventful,  until  his  marriage  with  Catharine  Cope,  in 
1785,  soon  after  which  he  removed  to  West  Cocalico  town- 
ship, Lancaster  county.  Pa.,  where  he  established  himself  in 
the  business  of  tile  making.  In  the  days  of  Albright,  tiles 
were  mostly  used  for  covering  buildings,  and  their  manufacture 
was  a  good  and  profitable  business.  In  the  management  of  his 
business  Albright  was  industrious  and  economical,  and  in 
course  of  time  he  was  in  comfortable  circumstances. 

513 


514 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Some  particulars  of  Albright's  conversion  and  the  begin- 
ning of  his  ministry  have  already  been  given,  and  need  not 
here  be  repeated.  In  his  youth  he  had  no  literary  advantages, 
except  such  as  were  afforded  by  the  crude  country  schools  of 
his  day.  Reading,  writing,  and  the  elements  of  mathematics 
were  the  branches  of  education  then  considered  necessary,  and 
the  acquirement  of  these  constituted  Albright's  early  scholas- 
tic advantages.  He  was,  however,  a  diligent  student,  and  in 
course  of  time  gained  a  good  stock  of  general  knowledge.  He 
was,  moreover,  a  man  of  good  judgment,  very  discreet  in  his 
demeanor,  punctual  in  meeting  his  appointments,  and  prompt 
in  executing  his  plans.  His  oratorical  abilities  were  of  a  high 
order,  and  while  he  may  not  have  possessed  the  quick  and  impul- 
sive command  over  great  assemblies  of  his  spiritual  son,  John 
Walter,  his  eloquence  was  of  a  more  refined  order  and,  he 
seldom  become  boisterous  in  his  preaching.  His  life  was  hid 
with  Christ  in  God,  and  all  his  deportment  was  constant  proof 
of  uninterrupted  intercourse  with  his  Master. 

Albright  does  not  seem,  in  the  beginning,  to  have  had  the 
least  intention  of  forming  a  distinct  denomination.  His  heart 
yearned  for  souls,  and  this  was  the  secret  of  his  eloquence  and 
zeal.  His  discourses  were  permeated  with  Bible  truth  and  di- 
vine unction,  as  may  be  inferred  from  the  formal  condition  of 
the  church  of  his  day,  his  theme  was  a  present,  personal  sal- 
vation, as  embraced  in  the  new  birth,  justification  by  faith, 
sanctification,  witness  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  enjoyment  of 
a  personal  knowledge  of  these  divine  operations  and  gifts.  In 
the  presentation  of  these  fundamental  evangelical  truths  his 
soul  was  filled  with  a  holy  fervor,  hence  his  manner  of  address 
was  earnest  and  persuasive.  The  eloquence  of  love  is  the  most 
effective  and  permanent  in  its  results,  hence  it  is  that  all  who 
came  under  his  ministry  retained  to  their  dying  day  the  im- 
pressions made  upon  them  by  him.  The  writer  has  met  many, 
who,  at  a  very  advanced  age,  retained  a  mental  picture  of  his 
angelic  visage,  while  his  words  of  love  were  indelibly  stamped 
upon  their  memory. 

A  careful  perusal  of  this  work  will  give  the  reader  an  idea 
of  the  stupendous  work  of  this  tireless  worker.  Although  our 
knowledge  of  a  great  many  of  his  preaching  places  is  irrecover- 
ably lost,  the  reader  will  find  more  than  one  hundred  indicated 
in  this  work.    These  appointments  are  now  embraced  within 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


515 


the  bounds  of  twenty-two  counties,  in  the  state  of  Pennsyl- 
vania alone.  Most  of  this  territory  is  in  the  mountainous  por- 
tion of  the  state,  which  was  little  more  than  a  wilderness. 
Many  unbridged  rivers  and  mountain  torrents  had  to  be  forded, 
and  numerous  spurs  and  divisions  of  the  AUeghenies  had  to  be 
crossed  and  recrossed  at  almost  every  trip.  In  this  way  he 
continued  with  a  tireless  and  unswerving  devotion  to  scatter  the 
good  seed  in  lonely  cottages  of  the  poor  as  well  as  in  the  man- 
sions of  the  rich.  In  the  twelve  years  of  his  ministerial  career 
about  300  souls  were  converted  under  his  labors.  But  who  can 
estimate  the  number  saved  indirectly  through  his  instrumen- 
tality ? 

It  seems  almost  incredible  that  in  this  enlightened  age  and 
country  people  should  be  persecuted,  stoned  and  smitten 
almost  unto  death,  for  preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  yet  this 
was  the  case  with  many  of  our  first  ministers,  who  were  objects 
of  hatred  to  the  formal  religionists  of  that  period.  No  one, 
however,  was  compelled  to  drink  the  bitter  cup  of  persecution 
more  deeply  than  Jacob  Albright.  Already  in  his  first  public 
ministration  of  which  we  have  any  definite  information,  namely, 
at  the  dedication  of  the  Reformed  Church  at  Shaefferstown, 
in  1796,  he  narrowly  escaped  serious  injury  (See  Shaeffers- 
town). In  1799  he  preached  at  the  same  place,  by  the  way- 
side, to  a  multitude  of  people  attending  a  fair  at  that  place, 
when  he  was  set  upon  by  a  cruel  mob  and  shamefully  mal- 
treated. More  dead  than  alive,  he  escaped  to  Father  Zent- 
mayer's,  who  lived  about  two  miles  distant,  and  under  whose 
friendly  roof  he  had  often  found  shelter.  The  circumstances 
of  his  arrival  there  are  thus  given  by  a  son  of  Zentmayer  : 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  a  son  of  Father  Z.  (our 
informant)  saw  Albright  slowly  coming  toward  their  home  from 
the  direction  of  Schaefferstown.  There  seemed  to  be  something 
wrong,  and  the  boy  ran  to  open  the  gate  of  the  lane  leading  to 
the  barn.  Without  saying  a  word,  Albright  entered  the  lane. 
His  face  was  covered  with  blood,  his  clothing  torn  and  soiled, 
and  he  was  so  much  injured  that  he  could  scarcely  sit  on  his 
horse.  Father  Zentmayer,  who  had  been  absent  from  home, 
at  this  moment  returned,  and  he  and  his  son  assisted  the  bruised 
and  smitten  servant  of  God  from  his  horse  and  into  the  house. 
The  boy  was  sent  at  once  for  a  physician,  who,  after  an  exami- 
nation, pronounced  the  injuries  of  a  serious  nature.    For  two 


516 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


weeks  Albright  lay  in  this  friendly  home  under  the  care  of  the 
physician.  When  he  was  able  to  depart,  Father  Z.  and  the 
physician  informed  hira  that  their  services  to  him  were  gratui- 
tous. Thus,  did  the  Lord,  in  the  dark  hour  of  persecution, 
raise  up  friends  for  his  servant.  Numerous  attacks  were  mmde 
upon  him  in  various  places,  but  God's  protecting  providence 
was  ever  around  him.  Many  instances  are  given  in  this  work, 
in  which  he  and  his  colaborers  made  miraculous  escapes  from 
the  violence  of  their  enemies. 

Through  the  hardships  of  constant  travel  and  exposure,  the 
germs  of  consumption  were  planted  in  his  system,  from  which 
he  suffered  very  much  in  the  Winter  of  iSoy-'oS.  Notwithstand- 
ing his  debilitated  condition,  nothing  could  induce  him  to  cease 
his  labors.  On  Easter  Day,  1808,  he  and  all  his  assistants  at- 
tended a  general  meeting  at  the  house  of  John  Brobst,  in  Al- 
bany township,  Berks  county,  and  there  he  stationed  his  preachers 
for  the  last  time.  His  strength  had  greatly  declined,  and  it  was 
observable  that  his  work  on  earth  would  soon  be  done.  Eight 
days  later  he  and  his  colleagues,  Miller  and  Dreisbach,  at- 
tended another  general  meeting  at  Peter  Raidabaugh's,  at 
Linglestown,  Dauphin  county.  There  he  was  soweakthat  hecould 
not  preach.  He  evidently  felt  that  his  mission  was  ended,  and 
he  gave  his  ministers  the  excellent  advice  elsewhere  recorded.* 
As  he  extended  the  parting  hand  to  John  Dreisbach,  he  quoted 
for  his  encouragement  the  lines, 

"  Kampfe  bis  au/'s  blut  und  leben  ; 

Dring hinein  in  Gottes  Reich." 

["Fight  even  unto  blood  and  death  ;  press  into  the  kingdom  of 
God."]  From  Linglestown  Albright  started  homeward,  accom- 
panied by  Abraham  Walter  (brother  of  Rev.  John  Walter), 
who  was  class-leader  there.  Walter  accompanied  him  as  far 
as  Jacob  Gleim's,  who  lived  a  little  north  of  Shaefferstown. 
Gleim  then  accompanied  him  to  George  Becker's,  on  the 
Muehlbach,  three  miles  further.  When  he  arrived  there,  he  put 
a  question  to  them  that  must  have  sent  a  pang  of  sorrow  to  their 
hearts  :  "  Have  yoti  prepared  my  bed  ?  I  have  come  here  to  die. " 
Yes,  the  bed  was  ready,  for  this  godly  family  had  a  preacher's 
room,  which  was  always  in  readiness  for  the  weary  itinerant, 
and  there  Jacob  Albright  laid  down  his  wasted  frame  to  rise  no 


*  See  "  The  Ministry, 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


517 


more  until  loving  hands  carried  it  to  its  last  resting  place. 
There,  at  the  home  of  Becker,  about  eleven  miles  from  his 
own  home,  he  finished  his  great  work.  On  the  i8th  day  of  May, 
1808,  the  gates  of  the  New  Jerusalem  opened,  and  he  swept 
through  triumphantly.  Just  prior  to  his  death  he  was  asked 
how  he  felt,  and  replied  :  '■^  Happy  and  heavenly,"  and  smilingly 
added,  '^soon  I  shall  be  in  heaven,"  and  soon  thereafter  fell 
asleep  in  Jesus. 

After  his  demise  his  wife,  and  his  daughter,  Sarah,  who 
had  been  sent  for,  arrived.  When  met  by  Mrs.  Becker  on  the 
porch,  the  poor  woman,  who  did  not  know  as  yet  that  she  was  a 
widow,  asked,  "How  is  he  ?  "  and  Mrs.  Becker  simply  replied, 
"  He  rests  well,"  and  then  conducted  her  to  the  lifeless  form  of 
her  husband.  How  eloquent  and  full  of  meaning  in  this  con- 
nection were  the  words  of  Mrs.  Becker  ! 

The  funeral  occasion  was  a  memorable  one,  and  the  power 
of  God  was  wonderfully  manifested.  It  was  indeed  befitting 
that  Albright's  first  spiritual  son  in  the  ministry,  John  Walter, 
should  conduct  the  obsequies.  His  text  was  Dan.  xii.  3,  "They 
that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament,  and 
ihey  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever. " 
The  remains  were  interred  in  the  Becker  family  burying  ground. 
A  plain  marble  stone,  with  the  following  inscription  (in  Ger- 
man), marks  his  resting  place  : 

"To  THE  Memory  of  the  Evangelical  Pseacher, 
JACOB  ALBRIGHT. 
Was  Born,  May  i,  1759,  Died,  May  18,  1808, 
Aged,  49  years  and  17  days. 

'  Precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord 
is  the  death  of  His  saints. '  " 

Of  Albright's  nine  children  only  one  daughter  and  two 
sons  survived  him,  and  one  of  the  sons  soon  afterward  followed 
him  to  the  grave.  The  surviving  son,  David,  in  course  of  time 
gained  possession  of  the  estate,  and  with  him  the  widow  lived, 
and  died  in  1828. 

Much  has  been  said  of  the  opposition  of  Albright's  wife 
to  his  work,  and  the  sorrow  she  caused  him.  While  it  is  true 
that  during  life,  she  was  not  in  harmony  with  his  work,  which 
doubtless,  lay  as  a  heavy  burden  upon  him,  yet  she  was 
industrious  and  frugal,  and  during  his  years  of  almost  constant 


518  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


absence,  she  managed  the  little  farm  well.  On  one  occasion, 
as  he  and  John  Dreisbach  started  from  his  home  to  their  ap- 
pointments, he  remarked  to  Dreisbach  :  "It  gives  one  pain  to 
go  out  into  the  world  to  preach  repentance  and  salvation  to  the 
people,  and  one's  own  people  are  still  unconverted.  Still,  for 
my  Sally  I  have  hopes."  He  did  not  live  to  realize  his  hopes, 
but  God  graciously  wrought  more  than  he  seemingly  expected. 
The  only  daughter,  Sarah,  married  Noah  Rank,  who  later  re- 
moved to  Tioga  county,  where  the  whole  family  were  converted 
and  all  became  members  of  the  Association  but  one.  Two  sons, 
Jacob  and  Richard,  became  ministers  of  the  Association.  The 
former  entered  the  active  work  of  the  Eastern  Conference  in 
1837,  spent  forty  years  in  the  itinerant  ranks,  and  served  with 
distinction  as  presiding  elder  and  General  Conference  delegate, 
and  he  has  also  given  a  son  to  the  Evangelical  ministry. 

In  1826,  David,  the  surviving  son  of  Albright  married 
Maria  Raidabaugh,  with  whom  he  had  eleven  children,  of 
whom  nine  survive  at  the  present  time,  (1890.)  It  will  be 
gratifying  to  the  reader  to  know  that  the  widow  of  David,  who 
is  now  83  years  of  age,  and  all  her  children,  with  their  hus- 
bands, and  wives  and  many  of  her  grand-children,  are  members 
of  the  Evangelical  Association.  The  best  of  all  remains  to  be 
told.  In  an  interview  which  the  author  had  with  her  in  the 
presence  of  a  number  of  her  children,  she  stated  that  her 
mother-in-law,  the  widow  of  Jacob  Albright,  while  not  in  sym- 
pathy with  his  work,  never  opposed  it.  After  his  death  his 
words  and  prayers  and  godly  life  were  not  without  their  effects 
upon  her,  and  later  she  came  to  an  experimental  knowledge  of 
salvation  and  identified  herself  with  the  Evangelical  Association.  * 

"  Go  to  thy  rest !  At  noon  from  labor  cease, 

Rest  on  thy  sheaves,  thy  harvest  task  is  done, 
Come  from  the  heat  of  battle  and  in  peace, 
Soldier  go  home  !  with  thee  the  fight  is  won." 

Of  the  family  of  John  Albright,  father  of  Rev.  J.acob  Al- 
bright, but  little  is  known.  One  son,  Daniel,  who  was  much 
opposed  to  the  work  of  his  brother  Jacob,  was  once  visited  by 

*This  last  statement  is  very  important,  from  the  fact  that  other  authorities 
hold,  that  Albright's  widow  lived  and  died  as  a  member  of  the  Reformed 
Church.  When  I  asked  Mother  David  Albright,  how  s/ie  knew  that  the 
widow  died  as  a  member  of  the  Association,  she  replied,  '*I  ought  to  know, 
because  she  lived  with  us  and  died  at  our  house  !  " 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


519 


him.    After  Jacob's  departure,  it  was  discovered  it  was  written 
on  the  fly  leaf  of  the  Bible,  the  lines, 

"  'Tis  better  never  to  be  born, 
Than  be  forever  lost.  " 

Sometime  after  1830,  Daniel  removed  to  Bucyrus,  Ohio. 
In  1 85 1,  when  very  aged,  he  was  made  the  subject  of  saving 
grace,  after  a  deep  and  earnest  penitential  struggle.  He  often 
spoke  of  the  good  counsel  of  his  brother  Jacob,  and  his  conver- 
sion was  doubtless  the  result  of  the  precious  seeds  sown  in  his 
heart  by  his  sainted  brother,  nearly  a  half  a  century  before. 

Another  brother  of  Rev.  Jacob  Albright  was  George,  who 
was  born  1774.  About  1800,  he  removed  to  (now)  Beaver- 
town,  in  Snyder  county,  where  his  brother  Jacob,  often  visited 
him,  and  established  preaching  places  in  the  vicinity  as  early  as 
1803.  In  183 1,  George  Albright  removed  to  Yeagertown, 
near  Lewistown,  where  he  died  in  1852.  Many  descendants  re- 
side in  that  vicinity.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  and  a  highly  respected  citizen. 

JOHN  WALTER. 

John  Walter,  the  first  co-laborer  of  Albright,  was  born  in 
Rockland  township,  Bucks  county,  Pa.,  Aug.  13,  1781.  His 
father,  Peter  Walter,  was  a  higly  respected  citizen,  and  was 
one  of  the  first  to  receive  Albright  in  the  beginning  of  his  min- 
istry, and  under  whose  labors  the  entire  family  were  brought  to 
Christ.    A  close  friendship  sprang  up  between  the  youthful 
John  and  his  spiritual  father,  who  in  1801  took  him  to  his  home, 
to  teach  him  the  business  of  tile  making.  The  young  man,  how- 
ever, felt  himself  called  to  the  ministry,  and  the  following 
Spring,  (1802,)  accompanied  Albright  on  his  evangelistic  trip. 
Of  all  the  co-laborers  of  Albright,  there  was  none  who  pos- 
sessed such  peculiar  traits  as  John  Walter.    He  was  deprived 
of  scholastic  advantages  in  youth,  so  that  he  could  scarcely 
read  when  he  began  the  work  of  the  ministry,  yet  he  stands  as  a 
prominent  example  for  the  encouragement  of  all  young  men 
desiring  to  enter  the  ministry,  but  who  have  been  similarly  de- 
prived of  literary  advantages.    With  all  his  heart  he  followed 
Paul's  advice  to  Timothy:  "Give  attendance  to  reading,  to 
exhortation,  to  doctrine,  *  *  *  *  meditate  upon  these  things. 
Give  thyself  wholly  to  them,  that  they  profiting  may  appear  to 


520 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


all."  I.  Tim.  4:13.  The  mind  of  Walter  was  exceedingly 
fertile  and  many  sided.  His  memory  was  remarkable,  and  en- 
abled him  to  reproduce  the  various  facts  and  incidents  of  his 
own  experience  and  operations  with  great  readiness  in  his  ser- 
mons. Many  of  his  sermons  evinced  a  profundity  of  thought 
and  mental  grasp.  Altogether  beyond  what  would  be  expected 
from  one  of  his  antecedents.  His  oratorical  powers  were  ex- 
traordinary. His  gospel  bow  was  always  well  strung,  and  with 
a  masterly  hand  he  sent  the  arrows  of  truth  into  the  hearts  of 
his  hearers.  It  is  a  great  pity  that  he  did  not  keep  a  journal  of 
his  remarkable  experiences,  but  enough  has  come  down  to  us  to 
warrant  the  assertion,  that  he  has  never  been  surpassed,  and 
perhaps  never  equaled  by  any  minister  of  the  Association,  in 
the  direct  and  immediate  effects  of  preaching.  We  will  notice 
a  few  incidents  connected  with  his  wonderful  ministry. 

One  of  his  preaching  places,  in  1810,  was  in  the  court 
house,  in  York.  This  was  one  of  the  most  historic  buildings 
in  America.  The  Continental  Congress  sat  there  from  Sept.  30, 
1777,  to  May,  following,  after  being  driven  from  Philadelphia 
by  the  British,  and  some  of  the  most  important  measures  of  the 
Revolution  were  enacted  there.  In  that  historic  building  Wal- 
ter was  wont  to  pour  out  his  burning  eloquence,  yea,  over  the 
very  desk  on  which  were  signed  the  Articles  of  Confederation 
by  which  the  colonies  became  a  nation.  Among  the  regular 
hearers  was  Rev.  J.  G.  Schmucker,  D.  D.,*  pastor  of  the  Lu- 
theran Church  at  York,  and  president  of  the  Synod.  He  seems 
to  have  regarded  with  favor  the  Evangelical  movement  then  in 
progress.  He  once  listened  to  a  sermon  preached  by  Jacob 
Albright  in  a  graveyard  in  Lebanon,  when  the  Lutheran  Synod 
was  in  session  there.  After  hearing  Walter  preach  repeatedly, 
this  eminent  man  left  this  testimony  concerning  him  :  "Had 
Walter  had  the  advantages  of  scholastic  training,  he  would 
have  been  one  of  the  foremost  preachers  of  the  day." 

Perhaps  the  most  remarkable  incident  of  his  ministry  oc- 
curred in  New  Berlin,  in  August,  1805.  In  the  month  of  June 
previous,  Albright,  Walter  and  Miller  made  a  trip  over  the 
Northumberland  Circuit.  On  their  return  from  Penn's  and 
Buffalo  Valley,  they  stopped  at  the  house  of  Michael  Maize, 
near  New  Berlin.    Walter  requested  Maize  to  gain  permission 


♦Father  of  the  lale  Samuel  Schmucker,  the  celebrated  theologian. 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


621 


for  him  to  preach  in  a  school-house  in  New  Berlin,  which 
was  done.  Many  people  were  averse  to  his  preaching  there, 
and  after  he  had  filled  several  appointments,  the  door  was 
closed  against  him.  It  was  a  beautiful  moonlight  evening  in 
August,  when  Walter  came  to  preach,  that  he  found  the  door 
securely  barred.  A  great  concourse  of  people  awaited  further 
developments.  Finally,  the  friends  began  worship  on  the  street 
in  front  of  the  school-house.  Walter  stood  on  a  large  flat 
stone  in  front  of  the  door.  On  the  door-step,  sat  the  wife  of 
Michael  Maize.*  On  this  occasion  Walter  preached  with 
more  than  ordinary  power.  His  clear,  ringing  voice  was  heard 
all  over  the  town,  and  people  listened  from  windows  and  open 
doors.  When  in  the  midst  of  his  address,  a  peculiar  influence 
came  upon  both  the  preacher  and  his  strange  audience,  and  he 
exclaimed  with  a  remarkable  outburst  of  feeling,  "  God  has 
opened  for  Himself  a  door  in  New  Berlin,  and  he  will  build  up 
His  work  here  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  hell  and  wicked 
men."  At  this  instant  a  loud  report  was  heard,  and  the  door 
was  burst  open  wide  by  some  unseen  agency.  The  door  had 
been  secured  by  a  cross-bar  inside,  and  one  of  the  staples  with 
which  the  bar  was  fastened,  was  found  the  next  morning  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  floor.  We  will  not  attempt  to  explain  this 
remarkable  phenomenon,  but  of  its  occurrence  there  can  be  no 
doubt.  With  the  statement  here  given,  agrees  the  testimony  of 
witnesses,  with  some  of  whom  the  author  was  personally  ac- 
quainted. The  Lord  did  indeed  open  a  way  for  His  work  in 
New  Berlin,  and  it  became  the  headquarters  of  the  church. 

Walter  possessed  poetical  talents  of  a  high  order,  and  his 
hymns  became  popular  in  the  society.  In  1810,  he  was  author- 
ized to  publish  his  hymns  in  book  form,  and  this  was  the  first 
hymn  book  of  the  society,  and  was  used  until  the  authorized 
edition  of  Dreisbach  and  Niebel  made  its  appearance.  Some 
of  Walter's  hymns  have  retained  their  popularity  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  especially  the  one  beginning, 

Kommt,  Brueder  Kommt,  wir  eilen  fort, 
Nach  Neu  Jerusalem. ' ' 

Owing  to  incessant  labors,  Walter's  health  became  seri- 
ously impaired,  almost  before  he  reached  the  prime  of  man- 

*NoTE — Mrs.  Maize  had  in  her  arms  a  babe  several  months  of  age,  who 
afterv/ards  became  the  wife  of  Rev.  James  Barber.  To  whom  the  author  is 
indebted  for  many  remiDiscences. 


522 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


hood.  In  1813  he  was  unable  to  take  work.  He  accordingly- 
settled  at  the  Swamp,  near  his  wife's  relatives — the  Beckers. 
Later  he  purchased  a  small  farm  near  his  father,  about  one  mile 
north  of  the  present  village  of  Mt.  Nebo,  Lebanon  county. 
There  he  waited  with  Christian  fortitude  and  patience  for  the 
end,  which  came  Dec.  3,  1818.  His  age  was  37  years,  3  months 
and  6  days.  Rev.  David  Thom.\s  preached  his  funeral  sermon 
from  Heb.  xiii.  17.  He  was  interred  in  the  family  burying 
ground  of  Adam  Faber,  near  by.  His  grave  is  under  a  pine 
tree,  and  is  marked  by  a  rough,  angular  stone,  without  inscrip- 
tion. Soon  after  his  death  his  widow  returned  to  her  parental 
home,  where  in  a  little  house  on  the  lawn  of  her  brother  Sam- 
uel, Becker's  home,  she  lived  forty-nine  years.  She  was  in- 
deed a  consistent  and  happy  Christian,  and  with  hope  un- 
dimmed  awaited  the  time  of  her  departure,  which  came  March 
12,  1868.  Her  age  was  88  years,  i  month  and  22  days.  She  was 
buried  in  the  Samuel  Becker  graveyard. 

GEORGE  MILLER. 

George  Miller  was  born  Feb.  16,  1774,  in  Pottstown, 
Montgomery  county.  Pa.  His  parents,  Jacob  and  Elizabeth 
Miller,  were  strict  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  When 
George  was  still  a  child,  they  removed  to  Alsace  township, 
Berks  county,  where  the  father  died  in  1784.  From  his  pa- 
rents George  received  a  strict  moral  training,  and  when  at  the 
age  of  sixteen,  he  attended  a  course  of  catechetical  instruction 
at  Reading,  his  mind  became  deeply  exercised  with  regard  to 
his  salvation.  Deep  as  was  his  concern,  he  had  no  true  spirit- 
ual adviser  ;  so  in  course  of  time  he  became  indifferent,  his 
mind  became  shrouded  with  doubts,  and  he  was  driven  to  the 
verge  of  unbelief.  In  this  extremity  he  prayed  God  to  save  him 
from  this  danger,  promising  that  he  would  serve  Him. 

In  1798  he  purchased  a  mill  property  in  Schuylkill  county, 
and  the  same  year  heard  a  sermon  preached  by  Jacob  Albright 
from  the  words,  "  Behold  I  set  before  you  the  way  of  life  and 
the  way  of  death,"  (Jer.  xxi.  8.)  God's  word  so  affected  his 
heart  that  he  clung  to  a  table  to  keep  himself  from  sinking  to 
the  floor.  After  the  services  he  conversed  with  Albright,  who 
said  to  him,  "You  must  diligently  pray,  and  humble  yourself, 
and  bear  the  cross  for  Christ's  sake,  and  believe  with  all  your 
heart,  and  you  will  soon  find  pardon."    This  led  him  to  seek 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


523 


the  Lord  more  earnestly.  Still  he  failed  at  that  time  to  realize 
the  pardon  of  his  sins.  In  1800,  he  married  Magdalf.na 
Brobst,  whose  father  was  proprietor  of  an  iron  forge  in  Albany- 
township,  Berks  county.  For  several  years  the  cares  of  the 
world  burdened  him,  and  there  was  no  material  change  in  his 
spiritual  condition.  In  1802  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  send  His 
servant  Jacob  Albright  to  him,  on  his  way  to  an  appoint- 
ment. His  earnest  prayers  and  godly  counsels  again  awoke 
the  deepest  feelings  in  Miller's  heart,  and  the  next  day  he  ac- 
companied Albright  to  his  appointment  at  Zimmerman's,  ten 
miles  distant.  The  way  thither  was  occupied  in  spiritual  con- 
versation, and  the  sermon  seemed  specially  adapted  to  Mil- 
ler's spiritual  needs,  and  he  was  led  to  see  more  clearly  his 
true  condition.  On  June  3,  1803,  after  a  day  of  prayerful 
wrestling  with  God,  he  was  wonderfully  saved.  In  the  Fall  of 
this  year  he  and  his  brother  Solomon  attended  a  general  meet- 
ing at  the  house  of  Jacob  Phillips,  in  Northampton  county. 
The  Lord  poured  out  His  Spirit  upon  them  in  copious  measure, 
and  they  were  wonderfully  blessed,  and  from  that  time  fully 
identified  themselves  with  the  Evangelical  work,  and  their 
homes  became  regular  preaching  places.  Others  in  the  neigh- 
borhood were  soon  afterwards  converted,  and  a  class  was 
formed,  of  which  Miller  was  made  the  leader. 

The  bitterest  persecution  was  now  directed  against  Miller. 
An  unconverted  pastor  urged  his  congregation  to  break  up  the 
work  by  force,  otherwise  he  would  resign  his  charge.  Another 
pastor  went  to  his  house  one  Sunday  with  upwards  of  thirty  of 
his  flock  to  convince  him  of  the  error  of  his  way.  Failing  in 
this,  he  became  very  violent,  and  his  followers  became  heartily 
ashamed  of  his  conduct.  The  evil-disposed,  however,  after- 
wards gave  vent  to  their  hatred  by  breaking  his  windows  and 
damaging  his  mill  flume.  He  was  forbidden  to  cross  the  church 
property,  over  which  a  road  led  to  one  of  his  fields,  and  if  he 
ventured  to  do  so,  the  school  teacher  attacked  him  with  stones 
and  clubs.  Many  of  his  customers  refused  to  patronize  him 
any  longer.  Debtors  refused  to  pay  their  bills.  He  was  sev- 
eral times  smitten  without  being  able  to  get  redress  at  the  hands 
of  the  law.  Once  when  Albright  preached  at  his  house  an  at- 
tack was  made  upon  them  by  a  great  mob  with  stones  and  clubs. 

In  April,  1805,  Miller  entered  the  active  work  of  the  min- 
istry under  the  immediate  direction  of  Albright.    His  first 


524 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


labors  were  mostly  confined  to  the  old  circuit.  This  was  a  year 
of  unprecedented  trial  for  him.  Besides  the  terrible  persecution 
directed  against  him,  he  passed  through  an  ordeal  of  doubt  re- 
specting his  call  to  the  ministry,  and  was  at  times  almost  over- 
come by  a  strong  temptation  to  abandon  the  work.  At  one 
time  when  his  temptations  were  severest,  Albright,  as  though 
directed  by  providence,  came  to  his  relief  from  a  long  distance. 
Miller  revealed  to  him  his  great  trials,  and  harrassing  doubts, 
and  told  him  he  could  preach  no  longer,  as  the  burden  was  too 
great.  Albright  merely  smiled  and  said,  "Come,  let  us  go 
aside  and  pray  with  each  other."  They  retired  to  a  grove  and 
there  together  poured  out  their  hearts  to  God  for  help.  Albright 
then  said,  "You  must  not  surrender  the  Scriptures  to  the  devil, 
but  hold  them  fast  and  resist  him  therewith."  He  further  ex- 
horted him  to  seek  a  closer  fellowship  with  God  and  be  entire 
submission  to  His  will  as  the  only  safeguard  against  the  assaults 
of  the  devil  and  the  opposition  of  a  wicked  world. 

After  severe  heart-searching  and  renewed  consecration  to 
God's  service,  Miller  resumed  the  work  with  greater  zeal.  On 
May  25,  1806,  he  received  directions  from  Albright  to  labor  on 
the  new,  or  Northumberland  Circuit,  which  then  embraced  all 
of  the  work  West  of  the  Susquehanna  River.  On  this  vast  field 
he  served  appointments  scattered  over  a  territory  now  embraced 
by  ten  counties.  He  labored  with  a  zeal  and  devotion  unsur- 
passed in  the  history  of  the  church.  Great  revivals  took  place 
all  over  the  circuit.  Over  one  hundred  members  were  received, 
which  almost  doubled  the  membership  of  the  Association.  Six 
new  classes  were  organized.  Among  the  converts  were  Chris- 
tian Spangler,  John  Dreisbach,  John  Thomas,  Jr.,  Christian 
Wolf,  Michael  Maize,  Henry  Nieble  and  Jacob  Frev,  all  of 
whom  became  ministers  within  a  short  time,  and  doubled  the 
ministerial  force  of  the  society.  The  third  year  of  his  ministry 
was  devoted  to  the  old  circuit,  and  his  fourth  to  the  new,  which 
year  ended  his  service  in  the  active  ranks. 

On  Christmas  eve,  1808,  while  Miller  and  his  collegue, 
John  Dreisbach,  were  filling  an  appointment  at  the  house  of  a 
Methodist  brother  in  Juniata  county,  he  had  a  remarkable 
dream,  which  he  related  to  Dreisbach,  and  told  him  he  had  a 
premonition  of  coming  illness.  The  following  day,  however,  he 
preached  twice,  that  night  became  very  ill,  as  predicted,  and  as 
soon  as  he  was  able,  started  for  his  home  in  Albany,  Berks 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


county,  and  his  place  in  the  itinerant  ranks  was  vacant  forever. 

Although  his  health  was  shattered  as  the  result  of  his  itin- 
erancy, Miller  continued  to  serve  the  church  with  all  the 
strength  at  his  command.  He  was  directed  by  the  conference 
to  prepare  the  book  of  Discipline  for  the  society,  a  task  com- 
mitted to  Albright,  but  cut  short  by  his  death.  Miller  under- 
took the  work,  and  before  the  close  of  1809  the  book  was  issued, 
and  proved  a  great  blessing.  His  life  was  graciously  prolonged, 
and  in  the  course  of  time  he  published  a  work  entitled  "Prac- 
tical Christianity,"  which  was  published  by  order  of  the  confer- 
ence in  1814.  This  little  book  has  been  a  blessing  to  thousands. 
Near  the  close  of  his  life  he  wrote  a  brief  biography  of  Albright, 
as  well  as  his  own,  which  was  completed  a  few  months  previous 
to  his  death. 

Miller  was  by  occupation  a  miller,  and  also  had  some 
land  connected  with  his  business  in  Schuylkill  county.  Later 
he  removed  to  Allemangel,  in  Albany  township,  Berks  county. 
There  the  second  annual  conference  was  held  in  his  house 
(1809).  In  the  fall  of  1810  the  second  camp-meeting  of  the 
Association  was  held  on  his  land.  In  May,  1812,  he  sold  his 
home  and  purchased  a  farm  in  Dry  Valley,  Union  county,  a 
few  miles  below  New  Berlin,  whither  he  removed. 

In  the  Spring  of  18 15  Miller's  health  failed  rapidly,  but 
he  lingered  until  April  5,  181 6,  when  he  exchanged  the  cross  for 
the  crown,  aged  42  years,  i  month  and  19  days.  At  his  obse- 
quies Henry  Nieble  officiated,  choosing  as  a  text,  "  Because 
thou  hast  kept  the  word  of  my  patience,  I  also  will  keep  thee 
from  the  hour  of  temptation  which  shall  come  upon  all  the 
world,  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  earth."  Rev.  iii.  10. 

Miller  was  tall  and  angular,  with  long,  smoothly  shaven 
face,  and  high  cheekbones  and  black  hair.  His  grave  near  the 
lower  entrance  of  the  New  Berlin  cemetery  is  marked  by  a  plain 
marble  stone,  with  brief  German  inscription. 

JOHN  DREISBACH. 

John  Dreisbach,  was  born  in  Buffalo  Valley,  Union 
county,  Pa.,  June  5,  1789.  His  parents  were  Martin  and 
Sabina  Fredrica  Dreisbach,  who  were  among  the  first  west  of 
the  Susquehanna  River  to  open  their  house  as  a  preaching 
place  for  Jacob  Albright.  Of  this  eminent  family  the  reader 
will  find  a  more  extensive  account  in  this  work. 


526  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


In  1806  John  Dreisbach  became  a  subject  of  saving  grace, 
during  a  revival  which  Albright  and  his  collegues  held  in  his 
father's  house.  On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  1807,  he  attended  a 
General  meeting  in  Penn's  Valley,  at  which  he  received  from 
the  hands  of  Jacob  Albright  a  license  as  a  minister  of  the 
gospel.  In  November  of  the  same  year  he  attended  the  first 
conference  of  the  church,  held  at  the  home  of  Samuel  Becker, 
on  the  Muehlbach.  There  he  entered  the  active  work  and  was 
appointed  to  the  Old,  or  Schuylkill  Circuit,  with  George  Mil- 
ler as  colleague.  This  field  comprised  nearly  all  of  South 
Eastern  Pennsylvania  and  had  upwards  of  forty  appointments, 
some  of  which  were  from  thirty  to  forty  miles  apart.  On 
Easter  day,  1808,  Albright  stationed  his  little  band  of  evan- 
gelists for  the  last  time,  and  appointed  George  Miller  and 
John  Dreisbach  to  the  New  or  Northumberland  Circuit.  This 
field  was  even  more  extensive  than  the  old,  and  comprised  ap- 
pointments in  the  present  counties  of  Union,  Snyder,  Centre, 
Mifflin,  Northumberland,  Montour,  Luzerne,  Columbia  and 
Juniata. 

On  Christmas  day,  1808,  Dreisbach's  colleague,  Miller, 
became  very  ill,  and  soon  after  departed  for  his  home  in  Berks 
county,  leaving  this  great  field,  now  embracing  over  twenty 
charges  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  entirely  in  the  care  of 
the  youthful  itinerant.  In  1809  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
old  circuit  again,  with  Mathias  Betz  and  Henry  Niebel  as 
colleagues.  A  few  months  after  the  session  of  conference  he 
was  ordained  as  elder  at  the  house  of  Henry  Eby,  near  Leba- 
non. He  was  then  but  twenty  years  of  age.  In  18 10  he  again 
was  placed  in  charge  of  Northumberland  Circuit.  During  this 
year  he  met  Bishop  Asbury,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  near  Halifax,  Dauphin  county.  Asbury  proposed  a 
union  of  the  society  with  his  denomination.  His  conditions, 
however,  were  such  that  Bro.  D.  could  not  approve  of  them. 
In  181 1  he  served  the  newly  formed  Franklin  Circuit,  which 
comprises  the  counties  of  York,  Adams,  Cumberland  and 
Franklin  in  Pennsylvania,  and  Washington  and  Carroll  counties 
in  Maryland.  This  year  he  labored  with  especial  success,  and 
a  number  of  new  classes  were  formed.  In  1812,  with  Robert 
McCray  as  colleague,  he  was  sent  as  missionary  to  the  central 
part  of  New  York,  but  for  reasons  elsewhere  noted,  he  returned 
and  labored  on  Northumberland  Circuit  the  remainder  of  the 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


627 


year.  In  1813,  with  Adam  Henning  as  colleague,  he  was  sent 
to  form  a  new  circuit  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains,  in 
which  they  were  remarkably  successful. 

At  the  conference  of  1814,  which  which  was  held  in  his 
father's  house,  and  of  which  he  was  chairman,  Dreisbach  was 
elected  as  the  first  presiding  elder  of  the  Society,  which  then 
numbered  thirteen  traveling  preachers  and  one  thousand  and 
sixteen  members.  He  discharged  his  duties  with  great  ac- 
ceptance until  1821,  when  he  was  compelled  to  locate  because 
of  the  complete  breaking  down  of  his  health.  Thereafter  he 
followed  farming  on  his  place,  which  adjoined  that  of  his 
father's  in  Buffalo  Valley. 

On  Oct.  9,  1827,  Bro.  Dreisbach  was  elected  as  a  "  Jack- 
sonian,"  to  the  State  Legislature.  He  discharged  his  duties 
with  such  fidelity  that  he  was  re-elected. 

In  1831,  Dreisbach  removed  to  Pickaway  county,  O.,  where 
his  house  became  a  regular  preaching  place.  In  the  Fall  and 
Winter  of  1839-40,  and  also  185 1,  he  served  as  supply  on  Pick- 
away Circuit.  In  1853  he  served  Dayton,  and  in  1854,  Chilli- 
cothe  Mission  until  October  of  that  year,  when  he  was  elected 
editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger.  On  March  18,  1857,  he 
resigned  because  of  his  many  infirmities,  and  removed  to  Cir- 
cleville,  O.,  where  he  spent  the  evening  of  his  life  peacefully 
and  quietly  and  with  Christian  fortitude  awaited  the  time  of  his 
departure.  After  a  period  of  great  suffering  the  welcome  sum- 
mons came,  Aug.  20,  1871,  and  the  last  co-worker  of  Albright, 
was  gathered  to  his  illustrious  compeers,  at  the  age  of  82  years, 
2  months,  and  15  days.  His  wife  Fanny,  died  in  1876,  aged 
85  years.    (See  Ever). 

Dreisbach  possessed  literary  abilities  of  a  high  order, 
which  proved  a  great  blessing  to  the  church.  In  1809  he  pub- 
lished a  German  Catechism.  In  1816  he  and  Henry  Niebel 
prepared  and  published  the  first  authorized  hymn  book,  and 
also  greatly  improved  the  Discipline,  by  direction  of  the  con- 
ference, which  duty  they  were  also  directed  to  perform  in  1830. 
Dreiseach's  numerous  articles  in  the  German  and  English  or- 
gans of  the  church,  attest  his  desire  for  her  welfare.  They  give 
evidence  of  much  thought  and  careful  preparation.  He  espe- 
cially excelled  as  a  poet,  and  many  of  his  hymns,  especially  in 
the  German,  found  a  permanent  place  in  the  hymnology  of  the 
church. 


S28  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Dreisbach  was  a  man  of  progress.  He  lived  to  see  the  so- 
ciety grow  from  a  handful  of  seventy-five  members,  to  almost 
one  hundred  thousand,  and  during  all  this  long  period  of  almost 
three-quarters  of  a  century  he  was  the  advocate  of  progressive 
methods  and  measures.  In  February,  1846,  he  published  in  the 
Botschafter  the  cut  and  explanation  of  a  seal  which  he  had  de- 
vised, and  which  was  adopted  as  the  seal  of  the  society. 

He  was  the  friend  of  higher  education.  In  the  Botschafter  of 
1845,  page  118,  appeared  a  remarkable  letter  from  him  entitled  : 
"  Ministers  and  teachers  should  not  be  ignorant."  This  was 
the  beginning  of  a  discussion  on  higher  education,  which  was 
continued  for  several  years  in  that  periodical,  the  general  result 
of  which  was  the  creation  of  a  strong  sentiment  in  favor  of  in- 
stitutions of  learning.  At  the  General  Conference  of  1847,  at 
New  Berlin,  Pa.,  Dreisbach  introduced  the  first  resolution  for 
the  establishment  of  such  an  institution  in  the  church,  which  led 
to  the  founding  of  Union  Seminary,  now  Central  Pennsylvania 
College,  at  New  Berlin,  several  years  afterwards. 

It  was  a  matter  of  general  regret  that  Dreisbach's  precari- 
ous health  precluded  his  elevation  to  the  Episcopacy.  Gladly, 
indeed,  would  the  church,  which  he  helped  to  plant  and  de- 
velop, have  honored  him  with  the  office,  which  he  was  well  com- 
petent to  fill,  but  he  felt  physically  unable  to  perform  the  ardu- 
ous duties  of  the  office.  His  place  as  one  of  the  founders  and 
pillars  of  the  Evangelical  Association  is  nevertheless  assured. 


First  threil  bishops  of  thk  Evangelical  Association  : 
Joseph  Long.  John  Seybert,  W.  W.  Orwig, 


Bishops  Seybert,  Long  and  Orwig. 


JOHN  SEYBERT. 

During  the  Revolutionary  War,  the  British  brought  to 
America  several  thousand  Hessian  mercenaries  to  aid  in  the 
war  against  the  revolted  colonies.  Among  these  Germans  was 
a  lad  of  fifteen  years,  named  Henry  Seybert,  who,  at  the 
close  of  the  war  decided  to  remain  in  America,  and  settled  near 
Manheim,  Lancaster  county.  Pa.  In  1790  he  was  married,  by 
the  distinguished  Dr.  Henry  Muehlenberg,  to  Susan  Kreuzer. 
Their  first  child,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  July  7, 
1 79 1.  Other  children  were  Henry,  Christian  and  David. 
In  March,  1806,  Henry  Seybert  died,  leaving  an  estate  of 
one  hundred  and  seven  acres,  which  afforded  a  comfortable 
living  for  the  widow  and  her  two  sons,  John  and  David,  the 
other  two  children  having  died. 

In  the  vicinity  of  Manheim  were  several  places  where  the 
early  preachers  of  the  Evangelical  Association  had  appoint- 
ments and  where  John  Seybert,  then  grown  to  maturity, 
heard  the  doctrine  of  the  new  birth  from  the  lips  of  our  first 
preachers.  In  1809-1810  the  Lancaster  Circuit  was  served  by 
John  Dreisbach  and  Matthias  Betz.  On  the  15th  of  April 
Betz  preached  his  valedictory  sermon  in  the  vicinity  of  Man- 
heim, preparatory  to  going  to  conference.  Young  Seybert 
attended  this  meeting.  The  preached  word  wrought  powerfully 
upon  him,  and  he  was  brought  under  deep  conviction  and  was 
soon  thereafter  converted.  Seybert's  occupation  was  that  of 
a  cooper,  to  which  he  applied  himself  very  industriously.  Still 
he  found  time  after  his  conversion  to  attend  the  meetings  far 
and  wide,  and  soon  became  known  as  a  most  devoted  Chris- 
tian. Soon  after  his  conversion  he  was  appointed  exhorter  of 
the  Manheim  Class  by  Dreisbach,  and  soon  after  that,  he  was 
elected  class  leader.    So  conscientious  was  he,  that  the  class  at 

529 


530 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Mt.  Joy,  about  eight  miles  distant,  also  elected  him  as  their 
leader,  and  he  served  in  that  capacity  for  both  classes  a  num- 
ber of  years. 

In  1819,  Seybert  was  licensed  to  preach.  He  records  that 
his  first  text  was  I.  John  iii.  8-9.  On  Sept.  12,  1820,  he 
entered  the  active  ministry  in  place  of  John  Klinefelter,  who 
had  become  sick  while  serving  Lancaster  Circuit.  In  182 1  he 
served  Union  Circuit;  1822,  Canton  Circuit,  Ohio;  1823, 
Schuylkill  Circuit;  1824,  York  Circuit;  1825,  elected  presiding 
elder  and  appointed  to  Canaan  District.  In  1829  he  was  re- 
elected and  stationed  on  Salem  District.  In  1833  he  refused 
a  re-election,  prefering  rather  to  labor  as  a  pioneer  missionary. 
He  was  accordingly  appointed  to  organize  a  new  field  in  the 
northwestern  part  of  Pennsylvania.  His  labors  on  this  field 
were  remarkably  successful.  Much  of  this  region  was  then  a 
wilderness  with  settlements  few  and  far  between,  and  involved 
great  hardships  and  privations  on  the  part  of  the  missionary. 
Sebyert  established  the  Evangelical  work  in  five  counties  and 
organized  seven  classes  this  year.  At  the  following  conference 
session  he  was  again  re-elected  presiding  elder,  and  again  in 
1838.  At  the  General  Conference  of  1839  he  was  elected  the 
first  bishop  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  in  the  proper  sense 
of  the  word,  and  was  successfully  re-elected  to  the  office  until 
his  death.* 

Bishop  Seybert  stands  unique  in  the  history  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association,  and  it  is  questionable  whether  the  Protest- 
ant Church  has  ever  produced  a  more  consecrated,  earnest, 
tireless  worker  than  he.  He  repeatedly  expressed  a  desire  to 
"  die  in  the  harness,"  and  literally  wore  himself  out  in  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Lord  and  Master.  His  zeal  for  God  burned  with  an 
ever  increasing  fervor  upon  the  altar  of  his  heart.  In  1837  he 
records  in  his  journal  the  pleasing  fact  that  an  increasing  mis- 

*NoTE. — As  elsewhere  noticed,  the  founder  of  the  church,  Jacob  Albright, 
was  himself  elected  to  this  office  at  the  hrst  conference  of  the  Society  in  1807, 
and  was  therefore  its  first  bishop.  Both,  W.  W.  Orwig,  the  first  historian  of 
the  Evangelical  Association,  and  S.  Neitz,  the  biographer  of  Bishop  Seybert, 
agree  that  inasmuch  as  Jacob  Albright  was  elected  to  the  office  but  a  short 
time  prior  to  his  death,  and  also  before  the  introduction  of  the  Discipline, 
which  sets  forth  our  articles  of  faith  and  principles  of  government,  and  defines 
the  character  and  functions  of  the  Episcopacy  in  the  Association,  therefore,  Sey- 
bert is  rightfully  called  the  first  bishop  of  the  Evangelical  Association  within 
the  meaning,  and  under  the  provisions  of  the  Discipline. 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


531 


sionary  spirit  was  observable  in  the  church  and  adds,  "Accord- 
ing to  all  appearances  I  must  now  bestir  myself  lest  I  be  set  in 
the  background.  I  herewith  serve  notice  that  I  am  not  to  be 
looked  for  in  the  rear  end  of  the  race,  but  must  be  sought  for 
pretty  well  in  the  front,  where  the  ice  is  being  broken."  This 
sentiment  well  expresses  his  true  character.  He  was  a  famous 
spiritual  ice-breaker  and  path-finder. 

During  the  period  of  his  ministry  this  indomitable  servant 
of  God  traveled  about  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand 
miles,  made  about  forty-six  thousand  pastoral  visits,  attended 
about  eight  thousand  prayer-  and  class-meetings,  visited  about 
ten  thousand  sick,  and  preached  almost  ten  thousand  times. 

The  personal  appearance  of  Bishop  Seybert  was  striking 
and  peculiar.  He  was  of  medium  size,  somewhat  spare,  with 
prominent  chin,  blue  eyes,  high  forehead  and  smooth  face. 
He  was  restless  and  nervous,  never  idle.  Even  down  to  the  end 
of  his  life  he  continued  to  travel  in  his  light,  open  conveyance, 
rather  than  by  railroad.  His  object,  as  he  said,  was  that  he 
might  call  on  the  friends,  and  preach  to  the  small  societies, 
while  on  his  way  to  some  point. 

He  was  a  strict  temperance  man,  and  advocated,  both  in  pri- 
vate and  public,  the  most  advanced  temperance  sentiments,  in 
a  day  when  it  required  greater  moral  courage  than  at  the  pres- 
ent time.  He  was  decidedly  opposed  to  the  use  tobacco,  and 
earnestly  admonished  both  the  ministry  and  laity  against 
its  use. 

His  liberality  was  proverbial.  He  practiced  the  most  rigid 
self-denial  and  economy,  that  he  might  give  the  more  to  good 
purposes,  and  when  he  died  it  was  found  that  he  had  bequeathed 
all  his  estate  to  the  church  he  loved  so  well. 

The  evening  shadows  at  last  fell  upon  his  pathway,  and 
his  physical  powers  began  to  abate  rapidly.  At  the  General 
Conference  of  1859  it  was  noticed  that  he  was  very  feeble.  He 
had  served  the  church  as  bishop  twenty  years.  It  was  plainly 
evident  that  the  old  hero  could  not  do  battle  much  longer,  and 
it  was  deemed  prudent  to  elect  an  additional  bishop.  Both  he 
and  Bishop  Long,  who  had  been  his  coadjutor  since  1843, 
were  re-elected,  and  W.  W.  Orwig  was  newly  elected.  Soon 
after  the  close  of  the  General  Conference  he  revisited  many  of 
the  old  charges  in  the  Illinois  Conference.  Nov.  7th  he  started 
for  the  East,  as  usual  in  his  conveyance,  preaching  and  visiting 


53a  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


as  he  passed  through  Indiana,  and  Michigan.  Dec.  4th,  he 
reached  the  State  of  Ohio,  Dec.  i8th,  he  preached  his  last  ser- 
mon at  Lindsay,  O.,  and  attended  the  dedication  of  the  new- 
church  on  Christmas,  but  did  not  officiate.  Dec.  29,  he  reached 
the  residence  of  Isaac  Parker,  near  Bellevue,  O.  There  he 
stopped  his  horse  for  the  last  time,  alighted,  and  taking  his  sad- 
dle bags  he  entered  the  house  greatly  exhausted.  His  intention 
was  to  rest  a  few  days  and  then  proceed  on  his  journey.  Jan. 
4th,  (i860,)  he  arose  after  sleeping  fairly  well,  and  partook  of 
some  breakfast  with  the  rest.  At  the  table  he  related  a  dream 
which  he  had  that  night.  He  said  he  dreamed  of  meeting  a 
great  number  of  preachers,  who  were  delighted  at  his  coming. 
The  number  was  so  great  that  it  seemed  impossible  to  shake 
hands  with  them  all.  After  telling  this  dream  he  retired  to  a 
lounge. 

There  was  something  so  unearthly  in  the  demeanor  of  the 
bishop,  and  he  was  so  pitiably  feeble  that  his  host  became  con- 
cerned about  him  and  at  once  went  to  call  in  a  neighbor.  Soon 
after  Parker  had  left  the  room,  the  bishop  said,  "How  terrible 
death  must  be  to  a  wicked  man."  A  little  later  he  remarked 
that  death  begins  at  the  extremities,  and  when  it  reaches  the 
heart,  it  is  over,  and  said  that  so  he  would  die.  He  had  scarcely 
said  this  when  he  fell  over  on  the  lounge  on  which  he  was  sitting. 

T/ie  bishop  was  dead !  He  died  with  his  armor  on,  in  the 
heat  of  the  battle,  as  he  had  desired.  He  fought  a  good  fight, 
and  the  great  multitude  of  whom  he  had  dreamed  in  reality 
greet  him  with  rejoicing,  while  the  Master  said,  "Well  done, 
thou  good  and  faithful  servant,"  and  placed  on  his  brow  the 
victor's  crown. 

On  Jan.  6th  his  mortal  remains  were  laid  to  rest  at  Flat 
Rock,  O.,  near  when  he  died,  on  which  occasion  Bishop  Long 
preached  an  eloquent  funeral  sermon  from  the  words,  "And 
they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament, 
and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  forever 
and  ever."  (Dan.  xii.  3.)  A  fine  monument  marks  the  grave. 
His  age  was  68  years,  5  months  and  28  days.  The  reader  need 
hardly  be  told  that  Bishop  Seveert  was  never  married.  He 
remained  single  that  he  might  better  devote  himself  to  his 
Master's  work. 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


588 


JOSEPH  LONG. 

Joseph  Long  was  born  in  Dauphin  county,  Pa.,  Oct.  21, 1800. 
His  father,  Killian  Long,  removed  to  Columbiana  county, 
Ohio,  when  Joseph  was  still  a  youth.  When  the  Evangelical 
work  was  established  in  Ohio,  in  1816,  the  family  came  under 
the  influence  of  her  ministry,  and  the  following  year  they  were 
converted  to  God.  Joseph  was  then  seventeen  years  of  age. 
His  conversion  was  thorough,  and  evinced  itself  at  once  in  his 
zeal  and  devotion  to  the  Lord's  cause. 

He  entered  the  ministry  of  the  church  in  1822,  and  served 
as  follows:  1822,  Somerset;  1823,  Franklin;  1824-25,  Lancas- 
ter, Ohio;  1826,  Mansfield;  1827,  Canton;  1828,  elected 
chairman  of  the  Western  Conference  and  presiding  elder  of  the 
conference  district;  1830,  president  of  the  General  Conference; 
1832,  re-elected  presiding  elder  ;  1833,  located  because  of  fam- 
ily circumstances  ;  1841,  again  entered  the  work  and  was  ap- 
pointed to  Harmony  Circuit;  1842,  Canton  Circuit;  1843, 
elected  presiding  elder  and  stationed  on  Tabor  District  of  the 
Western  or  Ohio  Conference. 

In  the  Autumn  of  1843,  the  first  General  Conference,  com- 
posed of  regularly  elected  delegates  convened  at  Greensburg, 
Ohio,  at  which  time  Joseph  Long  was  elected  bishop,  and  be- 
came the  coadjutor  of  John  Seybert.  He  was  thereafter  regu- 
larly re-elected  to  the  office  until  his  death. 

Bishop  Long  was  in  every  way  a  remarkable  man.  In  the 
pulpit  he  was  a  master.  His  speech  was  somewhat  slow  and 
measured,  but  became  more  animated  as  he  advanced  in  the 
sermon.  Sometimes  he  became  impressively  grand  and  elo- 
quent in  his  discourses.  He  was  one  of  the  profoundest  think- 
ers the  church  has  ever  had.  With  mental  endowments  of  the 
highest  order  and  a  life  of  very  close  fellowship  with  God,  he 
was  able  to  present  the  truth  with  overwhelming  force  and 
power.  At  conference  sessions  his  sermons  were  especially  im- 
pressive and  powerful.  In  1857,  at  the  session  of  the  East  Pa. 
Conference,  in  New  York  City,  he  preached  an  ordination  ser- 
mon from  Acts  xx:  18,  "Take  heed  therefore  unto  yourselves, 
and  to  all  the  flock  over  which  the  Holy  Ghost  hath  made  you 
overseers  to  feed  the  church  of  God,  which  He  hath  purchased 
with  His  own  blood."  This  sermon  was  described  by  hearers 
as  having  been  overwhelmingly  grand  and  impressive.  The 


534  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


great  deep  of  almost  every  heart  was  broken  up.  Fathers  in  Is- 
rael wept  like  children,  and  many  vows  of  fidelity  were  re- 
corded in  heaven  as  the  result  of  that  sermon. 

Bishop  Long  possessed  executive  abilities  of  a  high  order. 
He  was  shrewd  and  far-seeing,  and  a  good  judge  of  human  na- 
ture. He  did  not  form  conclusions  hastily,  but  weighed  in  a 
deliberate  and  impartial  manner  all  the  circumstances  upon 
which  his  judgments  rested.  He  was  no  man-pleaser,  but  dis- 
charged with  scrupulous  fidelity  his  duties  towards  all  men,  as 
he  understood  them.  His  strict  demeanor  bordered  on  stem-j 
ness,  and  his  sharp  rebukes  sometime  caused  pain  even  to  his 
most  intimate  friends.  It  was  necessary  to  study  him  in  order 
to  understand  him.  Behind  the  caustic  speech  and  sharp  re- 
buke was  a  heart  full  of  tenderness  and  love.  He  was  a  true 
man,  as  all  who  knew  him  acknowledged.  Beneath  that  seem- 
ing stern  and  impassive  exterior  the  elements  of  a  noble  man- 
hood held  full  sway. 

Bishop  Long  was  a  great  friend  and  patron  of  learning.  Al- 
though in  youth  he  was  denied  the  scholastic  advantages  so  de- 
sirable to  one  of  his  position,  he  greatly  overcame  this  defi- 
ciency by  a  very  thorough  and  varied  course  of  study.  He  was 
well  versed  in  the  great  civil  and  religious  questions  of  his  day. 
He  encouraged  young  ministers  to  a  broad  and  liberal  course  of 
study.  He  was  the  principal  instrument  in  the  establishment  of 
Greensburg  Seminary,  and  on  him  the  chief  responsibilities  of 
its  management  rested.  When  in  course  of  time  the  institution 
failed  financially,  he  purchased  it  and  continued  its  existence, 
at  a  heavy  expense  to  himself.  In  like  manner  all  the  interests 
of  the  Evangelical  Association  were  dear  to  his  heart,  especially 
the  missionary  cause.  He  endeavored  at  all  times  to  promote 
a  missionary  spirit  in  every  quarter  of  the  church. 

Bishop  Long  was  over  six  feet  tall,  somewhat  spare  in  body, 
with  high  forehead,  and  a  very  positive  expression  of  counte- 
nance. He  possessed  a  somewhat  choleric  temperament,  the 
influence  of  which  dominated  his  general  demeanor.  In  the 
pulpit  his  appearance  was  solemn,  commanding,  and  impressive. 
His  movements  and  gestures  were  becoming  and  well  timed. 

Bishop  Long  was  married  to  Catherine  Hoy,  a  daughter 
of  Daniel  and  Mollie  Hoy,  of  Fairfield  county,  Ohio.  As 
elsewhere  noticed,  the  Hoys  were  among  the  first  members  of 
the  Evangelical  Association  in  Ohio.   Mrs.  Hoy  was  a  daughter 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


535 


of  that  prominent  Evangelical  and  friend  of  Albright,  Abram 
Eyer.  *  After  sharing  the  vicissitudes  of  her  husband's  life  al- 
most half  a  century,  Mrs.  Long  died.  May  12,  1869. 

The  health  of  the  bishop  was  greatly  shattered  in  conse- 
quence of  the  great  hardships  he  endured  in  the  itinerancy,  from 
the  effects  of  which  he  suffered  greatly  in  after  years.  When  he 
was  re-elected  for  the  last  time,  in  1867,  he  was  comparatively 
feeble,  and  thereafter  performed  his  official  duties  with  difficulty. 
The  death  of  his  faithful  companion  was  a  severe  blow,  and  his 
enfeebled  frame  gave  way  rapidly  under  manifold  bodily  ail- 
ments and  domestic  bereavements.  June  23,  1869,  only  forty- 
two  days  after  the  departure  of  his  companion.  Bishop  Long 
breathed  his  last  at  the  home  of  his  son-in-law,  Rev.  A.  Stah- 
LEv,  at  Forreston,  111.,  at  the  age  of  68  years,  8  months,  and  2 
days.  His  family  consisted  of  three  sons  and  three  daughters. 
His  obsequies  took  place  June  26.  Rev.  Henry  Rohland 
preached  the  funeral  sermon  in  the  German  language,  from  IL 
Tim.  iv:7-8,  and  Rev.  D.  B.  Byers  preached  in  English,  Daniel 
xii :  13. 

WILLIAM  W.  ORWIG. 

William  W.  Orwig  was  born  at  Orwigsburg,  Schuylkill 
county.  Pa.,  Sept.  25,  1810.  In  his  early  youth  his  parents  re- 
moved to  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  county.  Pa.  In  1826  he  and 
a  young  friend,  Daniel  Brickley,  attended  a  camp-meeting  at 
John  Walter's,  three  miles  south  of  New  Berlin.  They  bowed 
at  the  altar  together,  were  converted,  and  became  eminent  her- 
alds of  the  cross.  Orwig  entered  the  Eastern  Conference  in 
1828,  when  but  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  at  once  took  high  rank 
among  his  brethren,  and  in  1833  was  elected  presiding  elder. 
At  the  special  General  Conference  of  1836,  he  was  elected  gen- 
eral publishing  agent  and  editor  of  the  newly  established  Christ- 
liche  Boischafter,  assuming  editorial  charge  in  1837.  In  1839 
he  was  relieved  of  the  duties  as  publisher,  and  continued  as  edi- 
tor until  1844,  when  he  again  entered  the  itinerancy,  serving 
1844-45,  York,  Pa. ;  1846-47,  Baltimore,  Md. ;  1848-49,  Balti- 
more Mission. 

In  July,  1849,  Orwig  was  elected  by  the  standing  Book  Com- 
mittee, editor  of  the  Christliche  Boischafter,  in  place  of  N. 
Gehr,  who  had  withdrawn  from  the  church.    In  1850  the  West 


*See  Dry  Valley,  also  Lancaster  Circuit,  Ohio. 


536  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Pa.  Conference  confirmed  the  election.  In  the  Spring  of  1854, 
with  the  removal  of  the  establishment  to  Cleveland,  O.,  he  re- 
signed and  removed  to  Carlisle,  Pa.,  where  he  devoted  himself 
to  writing  the  history  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  In  1856 
he  became  president  of  the  Union  Seminary,  at  New  Berlin,  Pa., 
and  continued  until  the  General  Conference  of  1859,  when  he 
was  elected  bishop.  In  1863  he  was  again  elected  editor  of  the 
Christliche  Botschafier.  In  1867  he  was  elected  general  book 
agent,  but  resigned  in  1869,  because  of  impaired  health,  after 
which  he  served  several  years  as  treasurer  of  the  Missionary 
Society.  He  was  engaged  in  literary  labors  for  several  years. 
In  1876  he  became  a  member  of  the  newly  formed  Erie  Confer- 
ence, in  which  he  served  as  an  itinerant  and  presiding  elder  a 
number  of  years.  Orwig  was  the  most  prolific  author  of  his 
church  in  his  time.  Besides  assisting  in  the  revision  and  com- 
pilation of  the  German  and  English  hymn  books  and  other 
works,  he,  in  1846,  published  a  catechism,  which  for  over  a 
quarter  of  a  century  was  the  standard  in  the  church.  In  1856, 
he  completed  his  history  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  In 
1862  appeared  his  "  Heilsfuelle, "  a  work  on  holiness,  in  1876  his 
"Pastoral  Theology,"  and  in  1882  a  volume  of  sermons. 

No  one  in  the  Evangelical  Association  has  done  more  for  its 
establishment  and  development  than  W.  W.  Orwig.  His  gifts 
were  manifold,  and  all  were  given  to  the  service  of  the  church. 
He  was  one  of  the  foremost  in  promoting  all  her  interests  and 
institutions.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  missionary 
society  and  other  church  enterprises.  The  literary  and  pub- 
lishing interests  of  the  church  owe  more  to  his  talents  and  en- 
ergy, perhaps,  than  those  of  any  other  person,  and  his  in- 
fluence will  be  felt  for  many  years  to  come. 

Orwig  was  united  in  marriage  with  Susanna  Rishel,  of 
Centre  county,  Pa.,  who  survived  him.  One  son,  Aaron  W. 
became  a  minister  in  the  church,  while  one  daughter  was  mar- 
ried to  Rev.  J.  Bowersox,  another  to  Rev.  E.  A.  Hoffman,  and 
a  third  to  Rev.  S.  L.  Wiest. 

Orwig  died  in  great  peace  in  Cleveland,  O.,  May  29,  1889. 
His  last  words  were,  "I  think  I  have  done  my  duty.  God 
bless  you."  More  than  thirty  ministers  of  the  Evangelical  As- 
sociation were  in  attendance  at  his  funeral  on  which  occasion 
Bishop  R.  Dubs  delivered  a  memorial  discourse. 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


5S7 


BRIEFER  SKETCHES  OF  SAINTED  MINISTERS. 

Matthias  Betz  was  converted  under  the  labors  of  Al- 
bright and  Miller,  at  Millheim,  Centre  county,  Pa.,  in  1806. 
He  entered  the  ministry  in  1809,  and  labored  with  remarkable 
success  until  his  death  in  the  Autumn  1813.  He  was  at  that 
time  preacher  in  charge  of  the  extensive  Northumberland  Cir- 
cuit, which  embraced  all  of  Central  Pennsylvania.  He  died  of 
pneumonia,  at  Boalsburg,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-one  years, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Presbyterian  graveyard,  near  the  present 
town  of  Lemont,  Centre  county.  It  is  a  matter  of  great  regret 
that  his  grave  is  unknown.  Bishop  John  Sevbert  was  con- 
verted through  his  instrumentality,  in  Lancaster  county  in  1810. 

James  Barber  was  bom  in  Manor  township,  Lancaster 
county,  Pa.,  April  22,  1797  ;  converted  in  1815  ;  entered  the 
active  ministry  in  181 7  ;  was  elected  presiding  elder,  and  sta- 
tioned on  Salem  District  in  1823  ;  was  chosen  president  of  the 
conference  in  1827.  Barber  was  a  man  of  large  frame  and 
commanding  appearance,  with  excellent  voice,  a  preacher  of 
more  than  ordinary  ability,  and  held  in  high  esteem  by  his 
brethren.  He  spent  over  thirty  years  in  the  active  work.  His 
arduous  labors  completely  undermined  his  health  and  he  was 
compelled,  much  against  his  will,  to  locate.  He  suffered  much 
for  many  years  and  finally  died  of  paralysis,  Sept.  19,  1867. 
His  wife  Mary,  daughter  of  Michael  Maize,  of  Dry  Valley, 
Union  county,  Pa.,  died  in  1870,  aged  sixty-five  years.  Both 
are  buried  in  the  Evangelical  cemetery  at  New  Berlin,  Pa. 

Samuel  Baumgarduer  was  born  near  Johnstown,  Pa., 
entered  the  active  ministry  of  the  Eastern  Conference  in  1832  ; 
joined  the  Ohio  Conference  several  years  later;  was  elected 
presiding  elder  in  1843  and  stationed  on  the  newly  formed  Illi- 
nois District,  and  continued  in  that  office  until  his  sudden 
death  by  cholera,  in  the  house  of  John  Harbach,  Bureau  county, 
111.,  Aug.  17,  185 1,  in  the  forty-third  year  of  his  age.  He  was 
one  of  the  most  devoted  and  tireless  ministers  of  the  Evangeli- 
cal Association,  and  his  death  was  felt  to  be  a  great  loss  to  the 
church. 

Jacob  Boas  was  bom  in  Reading,  Pa.,  Nov.  15,  1815,  con- 
verted in  youth,  and  in  1833  entered  the  active  ministry  of  the 
Eastern  Conference.  In  1836,  while  in  charge  of  Erie  Circuit, 
he  introduced  protracted  meetings.    The  following  year  he  was 


538  ENANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


sent  to  Illinois,  where  he  laid  the  foundations  of  the  Evangelical 
work.  In  1840  he  was  sent  to  Baltimore,  Md.,  where  he 
founded  the  work  and  met  with  great  success.  In  1848  he  was 
elected  presiding  elder  in  the  West  Pa.,  (now  Central  Pa.,) 
Conference,  and  served  two  terms.  He  located  and  settled  in 
Carlisle,  Pa.,  became  effective  in  1872,  served  ten  years  more, 
and  died  in  Carlisle,  April  4,  1884,  in  his  sixty-ninth  year, 
leaving  a  widow  and  five  children,  his  eldest  daughter  being  the 
wife  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Ettinger.  Boas  was  a  man  of  fine  appear- 
ance, a  good  preacher,  equally  effective  in  the  English  and  the 
German  languages. 

George  Adam  Blank  was  born  in  Berks  county.  Pa.,  in 
1822  ;  entered  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1841,  became  a  member 
of  the  Illinois  Conference  ;  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1850  ; 
was  a  member  of  the  Indiana  Conference  a  short  time  ;  again 
elected  presiding  elder  in  1855,  serving  Milwaukee  District.  He 
was  an  original  member  of  the  Wisconsin  Conference,  in  which 
he  continued  as  presiding  elder  until  his  death,  Feb.  5,  1861, 
at  the  age  of  thirty-nine  years.  Blank  was  one  of  the  most  de- 
voted and  energetic  of  men  and  his  death  was  greatly  lamented. 

Thomas  Buck  was  born  in  Lancaster  county.  Pa.,  Jan. 
27,  1789,  was  converted  in  youth,  and  became  a  member  of  the 
church.  In  1823  he  entered  the  active  ministry,  and  in  a  few 
years  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  church. 
In  1828,  he  was  elected  presiding  elder  and  was  re-elected  in 
1832.  In  1834  he  located,  but  re-entered  the  active  ranks  in 
1838,  and  was  again  elected  presiding  elder.  In  the  Spring  of 
1842  he  was  elected  publisher,  but  died  Oct.  26th,  of  that  year, 
and  was  buried  in  the  Evangelical  cemetery  at  New  Berlin,  Pa. 
He  was  president  of  the  conference  from  1829  to  1833  inclu- 
sive, and  president  of  the  General  Conference  in  1839.  His 
services  to  the  church  were  very  important.  His  abilities  as  a 
preacher  were  eminent.  He  was  a  strict  disciplinarian,  border- 
ing on  the  severe,  yet  withal,  kind  hearted  and  considerate,  es- 
pecially to  beginners.  His  sudden  death  cast  a  great  gloom 
over  the  entire  church,  and  it  was  felt  that  a  Master  in  Israel 
had  fallen.  He  gave  two  sons  to  the  ministry  of  the  church, 
S.  T.  and  H.  W.  Buck,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  the  lat- 
ter being  three  terms  elected  presiding  elder. 

John  Breidensteln  was  bom  in  Lancaster  county,  Pa.,  in 
1795.    His  father  removed  to  Lebanon  county  and  opened  his 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


539 


house  as  a  preaching  place  for  Albright  and  his  colleagues. 
Here  John  was  converted  in  youth,  entered  the  ministry  in  1818, 
and  became  one  of  the  most  devoted  preachers  the  church  has 
ever  had.  His  sermons  were  profound  and  powerful.  He  was 
especially  adapted  to  sow  the  seed,  and  his  successors  nearly 
everywhere  had  great  revivals,  of  which  Orwigsburgh  is  an  ex- 
ample. He  was  never  in  robust  health  and  after  six  years  of 
service  he  took  a  local  relation,  but  continued  to  labor  as  cir- 
cumstances permitted.  For  the  last  twelve  years  of  his  life  he 
was  blind.  He  died  on  the  old  homestead  near  Lebanon,  Oct. 
22,  1878,  aged  eighty-three  years. 

Moses  Disslllger  was  born  in  Shaefferstown,  Lebanon 
county.  Pa.,  March  17,  1824.  This  man  was  in  some  respects 
unrivalled  in  the  church.  He  was  the  very  embodiment  of  pe- 
culiarities. His  manners,  speech,  sermons,  everything  about 
him,  bore  the  stamp  of  his  marked  individuality.  Notwith- 
standing his  irresistible  humor  and  grotesque  manner  he  was 
a  good  preacher  and  a  highly  useful  man.  In  1854  he  was  li- 
censed to  preach  by  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  and  two  years 
thereafter  entered  the  active  ranks,  in  which  he  did  valiant  ser- 
vice for  twenty-seven  years,  filling  some  of  the  most  important 
appointments  of  his  native  conference  during  twenty-three 
years,  after  which,  in  1879,  he  took  work  in  the  Kansas  Con- 
ference, where  he  served  four  years.  After  severe  suffering  he 
died,  in  Douglass  county,  Kansas,  Jan.  25,  1883,  in  the  fifty- 
ninth  year  of  his  age.  An  interesting  volume  might  be  written 
about  this  eccentric  son  of  the  church,  whose  quaint  manners 
and  sayings  will  long  be  the  theme  of  conversation  around  thou- 
sands of  firesides.  He  was  a  strong  advocate  of  temperance, 
and  his  discourses  on  that  subject  were  unique  and  very  effective. 
During  the  Civil  War  he  was  a  radical  Unionist,  and  delivered 
numerous  speeches  in  support  of  the  administration.  He  was 
fearless,  brave,  and  patriotic,  a  foe  to  sin  and  evil  of  every  kind 
and  his  memory  will  ever  be  revered  in  the  church. 

John  Erb  was  born  in  Manor  township,  Lancaster  county, 
Pa.,  in  1787.  Under  the  ministry  of  the  first  preachers  of  the 
Association  he  was  awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  condition,  and 
during  the  great  revival  along  the  Conestoga,  in  1807,  he  was 
converted.  In  the  Fall  of  1808  he  entered  the  active  ministry. 
In  1810,  with  Mr.  Betz  as  colleague  he  formed  the  third  or 
Franklin  Circuit,  and  in  181 1,  with  L.  Zimmerman  as  colleague, 


540  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


he  served  Northumberland  Circuit,  where  the  accessions  num- 
bered over  one  hundred.  In  1813  he  located  because  of  im- 
paired health,  and  the  following  year  suffered  the  loss  of  his 
wife,  Mary,  who  was  a  daughter  of  George  Becker,  of  the 
Muehlbach.  In  1820  he  re-entered  the  work  and  was  elected 
the  third  presiding  elder  of  the  church.  He  was  president  of 
the  conference  in  1821,  1822  and  1823.  He  was  then  com- 
pelled to  locate  again,  and  soon  after  removed  to  Ohio.  In 
185 1  he  again  entered  the  active  work  and  located  in  1857. 
The  last  year  of  his  life  was  one  of  great  suffering  from  cancer. 
He  died  in  triumph,  Feb.  12,  1858,  in  his  seventy-second  year, 
and  was  interred  at  Bettsville,  Ohio. 

Adam  Ettiuger,  eldest  son  of  Rev.  Adam  and  Anna  Et- 
TiNGER,  was  born  near  Mt.  Royal,  York  county.  Pa.,  March 
19,  1787  ;  converted  under  the  labors  of  Walter  and  Dreis- 
BACH  in  1810;  entered  the  ministry  in  1816  and  traveled  two 
years  and  then  located.  He  was  the  first  editor  of  the  Chrisi- 
liche  Botschafier,  in  1836,  which  position  he  resigned  in  Febru- 
ary, 1839.  In  1841  he  resumed  the  itinerant  work,  and  in  1842 
was  elected  presiding  elder,  and  stationed  on  Zion  District, 
West  Pa.  Conference.  In  1844  he  was  again  elected  editor  of 
the  Botschafier,  which  he  edited  for  four  years  with  marked 
ability.  In  1862  he  once  more  resumed  pastoral  work,  con- 
tinuing until  1866,  when  he  took  a  superannuated  relation  at  the 
age  of  seventy-nine  years.  In  1872  he  supplied  the  pulpit  of 
York  Station.    He  died  in  York,  Pa.,  Nov.  2,  1877. 

Father  Ettinger  was  one  of  the  most  erudite  men  of  his 
church.  His  radical  views  sometimes  brought  him  into  con- 
flict with  his  brethren,  but  no  one  doubted  his  sincerity  and 
purity  of  motive.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  church  did  not 
realize  in  a  greater  measure  the  benefit  of  his  great  abilities  and 
long  life.  At  the  age  of  ninety,  his  tali  form  was  still  erect  and 
dignified,  his  step  elastic,  and  his  mental  powers  unimpaired. 
His  stately  form  and  venerable  appearance  will  always  be  re- 
membered by  those  who  knew  him. 

Jessie  M.  Ettiuger,  Jr.,  A.  M.,  son  of  Jesse  M.  Et- 
tinger, Senior,  and  grandson  of  the  eminent  Rev.  Adam  Et- 
tinger, was  born  in  York  county.  Pa.,  Dec.  13,  1846,  and  died 
in  York,  Pa.,  Feb.  3,  1895.  In  1867  he  entered  the  ministry  in 
the  Central  Pa.  Conference  and  served  some  of  its  most  im- 
portant charges.    In  1884  he  was  elected  presiding  elder  and 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


541 


stationed  on  Juniata  District.  He  was  re-elected  in  1888  and 
served  York  District  until  1891,  when  on  account  of  failing 
health  he  resigned.  In  the  Autumn  of  this  year  he  was  called 
to  the  editorship  of  T/ic  Evangelical,  which  had  become  vacant 
by  the  election  of  Rev.  W.  M.  Stanford  to  the  office  of  bishop. 
He  continued  in  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  editorial  duties 
until  the  time  of  his  triumphant  death.  As  a  preacher  and  ora- 
tor Ettinger  ranked  very  high,  and  was  surpassed  by  few,  if 
any,  of  his  church.  As  a  writer  he  was  versatile  and  polished. 
His  language,  whether  oral  or  written,  was  of  the  choicest  char- 
acter, and  whether  in  the  pulpit,  editoral  office,  or  social  circle, 
he  uniformly  impressed  everyone  with  a  sense  of  his  superior 
character  and  endowments.  He  served  as  delegate  to  the  Gen- 
eral Conferences  of  1887,  1891,  and  1894.  His  wife,  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  late  Rev.  Jacob  Boas,  and  several  children  survived 
him.  His  last  words  were,  "Tell  the  brethren  I  die  at  my 
post." 

Henry  Fisher  was  bom  near  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Aug.  23, 
1800.  He  was  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  always 
serious,  careful  and  painstaking,  and  full  of  faith  and  the  Holy 
Ghost.  In  early  life  he  served  as  a  school  teacher  and  gained 
experience  which  proved  very  valuable  in  his  subsequent  labors 
in  the  church.  He  became  the  subject  of  saving  grace  in  1824, 
under  the  labors  of  Rev.  John  Breitenstein,  and  was  one  of 
the  twelve  members  of  the  class  organized  in  Lebanon  in  1826, 
and  of  which  he  became  the  first  leader.  In  1831,  he  entered 
the  ministry  of  the  Eastern  Conference.  He  was  elected  pre- 
siding elder  in  1842,  serving  Philadelphia  District  three  years 
and  Orwigsburg  District  one  year.  At  the  General  Conference 
of  1847  he  was  elected  general  agent  of  the  publishing  house, 
and  served  in  that  capacity  until  the  General  Conference  of 
185 1,  when  he  was  elected  editor  of  The  Evangelical  Messenger, 
which  he  edited  very  successfully  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred at  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  Jan.  20,  1854.  His  remains  were 
taken  to  his  native  town. 

David  Fisher  was  born  at  Minersville,  Pa.,  in  1814,  and 
died  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  1890,  He  entered  the  East  Pa.  Confer- 
ence in  1840,  traveled  mostly  in  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
was  an  original  member  of  the  New  York  Conference.  In  1865 
he  was  elected  presiding  elder.  He  served  forty-four  years  in 
the  itinerancy. 


542  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


G.  T.  Haines  was  born  near  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  in  1809. 
In  181 1  his  parents,  Henry  and  PHoeBE  Haines,  removed  to 
York  county,  Pa.,  where  parents  and  children  were  converted 
and  became  members  of  the  church.  One  daughter  became 
the  wife  of  Rev.  Thos.  Buck  and  another  the  wife  of  Rev.  E. 
KoHR.  Haines  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Eastern  Conference 
in  1838,  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  the  East  Pa.  Conference 
in  1853  ;  resigned  after  two  years,  was  again  elected  in  1862  ; 
re-elected  in  1866  ;  served  forty-one  years  in  the  ministry  ; 
died  on  his  last  charge,  Catasaqua,  Pa.,  Dec.  19,  1879. 

Joseph  Harlacher  was  born  near  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  Aug. 
5,  1812  ;  entered  the  Eastern  Conference  and  rendered  many 
years  of  successful  service  in  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  Canada, 
Wisconsin,  Iowa  and  Illinois.  He  was  the  founder  of  our  work 
in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  in  1835.  He  was  elected  presiding  elder  in 
Illinois  Conference  in  185 1,  but  was  compelled  by  ill  health  to 
resign  the  year  following.  He  is  author  of  a  work  entitled 
"The  New  Jerusalem."    He  died  at  Naperville,  111.,  in  1893. 

George  Hassetipflug  was  bom  in  Germany,  Dec.  31, 
1834,  and  died  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  July  23,  1896.  He 
came  with  his  parents  to  Ohio  when  a  mere  youth  ;  was  con- 
verted at  the  age  of  fifteen  under  the  labors  of  Rev.  Grorge 
Haley  and  became  a  member  of  the  church.  After  taking  a 
course  in  Greensburg  Seminary  he  was  licensed  by  the  Ohio 
Conference  in  i860,  and  entered  the  active  ranks  the  following 
year.  His  charges  were:  Tuscarawas,  1861  ;  Coshocton,  1862  ; 
Tiffin,  1863-64  ;  Sandusky,  1865  ;  then  he  retired  on  account 
of  ill  health  ;  became  effective  again,  and  served  Cleveland 
South  Side  Mission,  1868-69  ;  Bath,  1870-71  ;  Perrysburg, 
1873  ;  Toledo,  1874-78  ;  Huron,  i879-'8i  ;  Cleveland,  Salem 
Church,  1882-83,  then  retired  because  of  ill  health. 

Hasenpflug  was  especially  successful  as  a  revivalist,  and 
was  instrumental  in  organizing  quite  a  number  of  congrega- 
tions. For  the  United  Evangelical  Church  he  rendered  invalu- 
able services.  He  was  one  of  the  promoters  of  the  Evangelical 
Publishing  Company,  and  a  most  liberal  supporter  of  all  the 
enterprises  and  benevolences  of  the  church. 

Charles  Hammer  was  bom  at  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  Dec.  7, 
1809  ;  received  into  the  ministry  of  the  Eastern  Conference  in 
1830;  elected  presiding  elder  at  the  special  General  Confer- 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


548 


ence  in  1836,  and  served  Moriah  District  in  New  York  ;  at  the 
General  Conference  in  1839  was  elected  general  book  agent, 
and  after  three  years  resigned  and  resumed  pastoral  work.  In 
1844  he  was  again  elected  presiding  elder,  serving  two  years 
each  on  Baltimore  and  Susquehanna  District.  In  1853  he  was 
again  elected  presiding  elder.  In  1854  he  was  the  second  time 
elected  general  book  agent,  and  under  his  management  the  es- 
tablishment was  removed  to  Cleveland,  Ohio.  He  served  until 
1867.  In  1868  he  was  elected  superintendent  of  the  newly 
founded  Orphan's  Home  at  Flat  Rock,  Ohio,  and  continued 
until  1876.  Later  he  served  several  charges  in  the  Erie  Con- 
ference. His  last  charge  was  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  1884,  which 
he  served  as  a  vacancy.  He  died  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Jan.  2, 
1887.  He  was  for  many  years  recognized  as  one  of  the  ablest 
men  of  the  church,  a  deep  thinker,  noble  minded,  earnest  and 
consecrated  to  God's  cause. 

Charles  Hesser  was  born  at  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  Nov.  5, 
1807  ;  converted  at  the  house  of  Charles  Wagoner,  near  his 
native  town  in  1825  :  entered  the  ministry  of  the  Eastern  Con- 
ference in  183 1  ;  was  chosen  delegate  to  the  General  Confer- 
ence of  1839  and  1843.  His  life  was  suddenly  cut  short  while 
on  his  way  to  the  latter  conference.  On  Oct.  6,  he,  in  com- 
pany with  H.  Fisher,  J.  M.  Saylor,  and  Michael  F.  Maize, 
started  in  a  carriage  for  the  seat  of  the  conference  at  Greens- 
burg,  O.  On  the  7th,  they  dined  with  Daniel  Zartman  near 
McKee's  Half  Falls,  below  Sunbury,  Pa.  Proceeding  on  their 
journey  they  were  driving  down  a  hill,  when  the  tongue  of  the 
carriage  gave  way,  causing  the  horses  to  kick,  and  Hesser's 
leg  was  fractured.  He  was  taken  to  Zartman's  house  and  ten- 
derly cared  for.  His  injury  resulted  in  a  fever  from  which  he 
died  in  five  days,  Oct.  12,  aged  35  years,  11  months,  7  days. 
Just  before  his  death  his  wife  arrived,  to  whom  he  spake 
words  of  cheer  and  comfort.  His  last  words  were  Preis 
set  detn  Lamvie  von  ewigkeit  zu  ewigkeit,  (Praise  be  to  the 
Lamb  from  everlasting  to  everlasting.)  Hesser  was  a  man 
of  pleasing  manners,  with  a  rich  and  winning  voice,  deeply 
pious,  and  a  tireless  worker.  Great  numbers  were  converted 
under  his  brief  ministry.  In  1828  he  was  married  to  Hannah, 
a  daughter  of  Charles  Wagoner,  who  survived  him  until  1883, 
when  she  died,  aged  73  years.  Hesser's  body  is  interred  at 
Orwigsburg. 


544  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


Adam  Hemilg,  son  of  John  Adam  Hennig,  was  born  in 
Centre  county,  Pa.,  March  7,  1794.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he 
was  converted,  and  soon  thereafter  gave  evidence  of  talents  for 
the  ministry.  In  1813  he  was  received  into  the  ministry,  and 
with  John  Dreisbach  as  senior  colleague,  was  appointed  to  ex- 
plore and  form  a  new  circuit  west  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains. 
As  the  church  had  then  neither  bishop  nor  presiding  elder,  to 
Dreisbach  was  assigned  the  duty  of  visiting  the  eastern  fields 
and  holding  meetings,  which  threw  the  burden  of  the  work  on 
the  untried  shoulders  of  the  youthful  Hennig.  His  operations 
embraced  a  vast  territory  and  he  was  very  successful.  In  less 
than  forty  years  the  field  of  labor  thus  established  formed  the 
foundations  of  the  present  flourishing  Pittsburg  Conference.  In 
1816  (with  F.  Shauer)  he  was  sent  to  begin  the  Evangelical 
work  in  Ohio.  He  was  very  successful  and  laid  foundations  for 
the  present  flourishing  work  in  that  State.  As  the  result  of 
overwork,  he  broke  down  and  was  compelled  to  locate  at  the 
end  of  his  first  year's  labor  in  Ohio.  He  suffered  much  and 
long  from  his  early  ministerial  hardships,  and  although  he 
served  several  charges  afterwards  as  supply,  he  was  never  able 
to  bear  the  arduous  labor  of  the  regular  itinerancy  again.  He 
nevertheless  became  a  strong  support  to  our  work  in  Ohio.  His 
house  was  a  preaching  place,  and  he  labored  as  much  as  his  en- 
feebled condition  would  permit,  until  called  to  his  reward,  in 
i860,  at  Salem,  O.,  aged  65  years.  His  wife  Catharine,  died 
in  1865,  aged  67  years. 

Frauds  Hoffman  was  born  at  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  in  1806, 
and  began  to  preach  in  the  Autumn  of  1825.  He  entered  the 
itinerancy  in  1826,  and  was  sent  to  Ohio.  Returned  to  the 
East  in  1827  ;  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1848,  served  in 
that  capacity  a  great  many  years,  and  was  always  held  in  the 
highest  esteem.  In  1833  he  served  Union  Circuit.  Finding  it 
inconvenient  to  travel  to  and  fro,  from  Orwigsburg,  he  re- 
moved his  family  to  Mifflinburg.  This  was,  so  far  as  we  know, 
the  first  removal  of  a  preacher  to  his  charge,  in  the  Evangelical 
Association.  Two  of  his  sons,  Francis  C.  andELiSHAA.,  be- 
came ministers.  The  former  was  for  some  time  principal  of 
Union  Seminary.  The  latter  is  a  well  known  musical  author. 
Father  Hoffman,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  was  the  oldest 
minister  of  the  church.  He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  in  Reading, 
Pa.,  July  26,  1894,  aged  88  years,  6  months,  and  23  days. 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


545 


In  1866,  the  East  Pa.  Conference  passed  the  following,  which 
was  adopted  by  a  rising  vote  : 

"Whereas,  Father  F.  Hoffman,  who  for  the  past  sixty  years 
has  uninterruptedly  served  in  the  active  itinerant  work  of  this 
conference,  serving  during  this  long  term  of  years  as  circuit, 
station  and  mission  preacher,  as  well  as  for  quite  a  number  of 
years  in  the  office  of  presiding  elder,  to  the  edification  of  the 
church,  and  the  glory  of  Christ,  and. 

Whereas,  On  account  of  his  age  he  has  signified  his  willing- 
ness to  accept  a  superannuated  relation  if  the  conference  sees 
fit,  therefore, 

Resolved,  That  Brother  Hoffman  be  placed  in  a  superannu- 
ated relation,  and  that  he  be  allowed  to  travel  and  preach  within 
the  bounds  of  this  conference  as  he  may  see  fit." 

Courad  Krillg  was  born  in  Morrison's  Cove,  Bedford 
county,  Pa.,  Sept.  12,  1800.  In  his  father's  house  Jacob  Al- 
BiGHT  found  a  welcome  home  and  frequently  preached  there. 
In  1806,  his  father,  George  Kring,  moved  across  the  Alle- 
gheny mountains  and  settled  near  Johnstown,  whither  Albright 
and  his  colleagues  followed  him.  Here  young  Conrad  was 
converted  and  became  a  member  of  the  church  in  1813.  In 
1823  he  entered  the  ministry,  and  spent  thirteen  years  in  the 
service  in  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio.  In  1836  he  settled  near 
Westerville,  O.,  where  he  died,  March  23,  1887,  aged  86  years, 
6  months,  and  11  days. 

S.  B.  Krillg,  son  of  Conrad  Kring,  was  born  in  1827  ; 
received  into  the  West  Pa.  Conference  in  1850.  In  the  newly 
formed  Pittsburg  Conference  he  was  elected  presiding  elder  in 
1863  and  served  several  terms.  Later  he  became  a  member  of 
the  Indiana  Conference.    He  died  in  1893. 

Frederick  Krecker,  Jr.,  son  of  Rev.  Frederick  Krecker, 
was  born  Jan.  31,  1841.  He  practiced  medicine  a  number  of 
years.  In  1875  he  was  licensed  as  a  preacher  by  the  East  Pa. 
Conference.  On  May  i,  1876,  he  was  appointed  missionary  to 
Japan. 

As  one  of  the  first  missionaries  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion in  Japan,  Dr.  Krecker  rendered  valuable  service.  He  was 
a  diligent  student  and  soon  became  familiar  with  the  language 
and  customs  of  the  people,  and  success  attended  his  labors.  In 
the  midst  of  his  usefulness  he  was  smitten  with  a  fatal  fever  and 
•  died,  April  26,  1883,  in  Tokio.    His  wife  Elizabeth,  remained 


546 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


four  years  longer  in  Japan,  continuing  in  missionary  work,  then 
returned  to  America,  and  was  engaged  by  the  Board  of  Missions 
to  labor  in  the  interest  of  missionary  cause  in  the  home  land. 

John  Klinefelter  was  born  in  York  county,  Pa.,  May  5, 
1791  ;  entered  the  ministry  in  1813  ;  was  presiding  elder  from 
182 1  to  1824;  and  president  of  the  conference  in  1822  and 
1824.  In  1823  he  married  Catharine  Becker,  a  daughter  of 
George  Becker,  at  whose  house  Albright  died.  In  1824  he 
located  because  of  impaired  health,  and  settled  on  the  farm  of 
his  father-in-law.  The  town  of  Klinefeltersville  was  laid  out 
on  his  land,  and  named  in  his  honor.  He  died  in  1863,  aged  a 
few  days  less  than  72  years.  His  wife  died  in  1883,  aged  87 
years,  and  was  the  last  surviving  witness  of  Albright's  death. 
Klinefelter  ranked  among  the  leading  men  of  the  church  in 
the  early  days.  He  was  an  able  preacher,  of  very  sound  judg- 
ment, and  commanded  the  highest  esteem  of  his  brethren.  His 
services  to  the  church  were  important  and  valuable. 

Jacob  Klinefelter,  a  brother  of  Rev.  John  Klinefelter, 
was  born  in  York  county.  Pa.,  Oct.  29,  1792,  and  entered  the 
ministry  in  1813.  In  1826  he  removed  to  Marion  county,  O., 
and  his  home  became  one  of  the  first  preaching  places  of  the 
Sandusky  Circuit.  In  later  years  he  entered  the  ranks  of  the 
Ohio  Conference,  where  he  rendered  six  years  more  of  service, 
and  then  took  a  local  relation.  He  was  secretary  of  the  con- 
ference in  1821  and  1824.  His  impaired  health  was  the  result 
of  the  hardships  of  the  itinerancy.  After  years  of  dreadful  suf- 
ferings, he  died  near  Marion,  O.,  Jan.  25,  1858.  His  com- 
panion died  Dec.  18,  1888,  aged  83  years. 

Adam  Klinefelter,  second  son  of  John  Adam  Kline- 
felter, Esq.,  of  Shrewsbury,  Pa.,  was  born  in  1796,  entered 
the  ministry  in  181 7,  and  was  sent  with  his  relative,  John 
Klinfelter,  to  Ohio,  where  he  rendered  good  service.  In  1823 
he  was  elected  presiding  elder  and  served  on  the  newly-formed 
Ohio  District  four  years.  In  1830  he  located.  He  was  an 
earnest,  tireless  worker  and  did  much  to  build  up  the  work  in 
Ohio.  His  long  and  wearisome  journeys  and  severe  exposure 
so  impaired  his  health  that  his  work  ceased  almost  before  he 
reached  the  meridian  of  his  life,  yet  in  the  thirteen  years  of 
his  itinerancy  he  accomplished  a  great  work.  After  his  location 
he  settled  at  Greensburg,  Ohio.  In  1825  he  married  Margaret 
Dilliman,  a  daughter  of  that  eminent  Evangelical,  Father  Con- 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


547 


RAD  DiLLiMAN.  After  years  of  great  suffering  he  was  called  to 
rest  March  22,  1878,  aged  81  years,  10  months  and  21  days. 
His  son  William  was  for  many  years  an  active  minister  of  the 
church  in  Iowa. 

Emanuel  Kohr  was  born  in  York  county,  Pa.,  Sept.  24, 
1823.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  West  Pa.,  (now  Cen- 
tral Pa. )  Conference  in  1843,  and  entered  the  active  ministry 
in  1844.  In  1858  he  was  elected  presiding  elder  and  served  as 
follows  :  Centre  District,  1858-61  ;  Baltimore  District,  1862- 
65;  Susquehanna  District,  1866-69;  Baltimore  District,  1870. 
Health  failing  him,  he  resigned  his  office  and  took  a  super- 
numerary relation  in  187 1.  In  1872  he  again  became  effective 
and  in  1875  was  again  elected  presiding  elder  and  served  Balti- 
more District,  1875;  Carlisle  District,  1876-78;  Juniata  Dis- 
trict, 1879;  York  District,  1880-82.  In  1883  he  took  a  super- 
annuated relation,  and  again  became  effective  in  1886,  continu- 
ing in  the  work  until  1891,  when  he  became  superannuated  for 
the  last  time  because  of  failing  health. 

KoHR  justly  ranked  as  one  of  the  ablest  men  of  the  church. 
For  eloquence,  sound  judgment  and  executive  ability  he  had 
few  if  any  superiors  in  the  church.  Beginning  with  1851,  he 
was  a  member  of  ten  General  Conferences.  In  the  councils  of 
the  church  his  services  were  invaluable.  He  was  for  many 
years  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Publication,  besides  occupying 
many  other  important  positions.  He  died  at  Lewisburg,  Pa., 
Aug.  19,  1894,  aged  70  years,  10  months,  and  26  days.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  the  oldest  preacher  of  his  conference. 
Twenty-seven  of  his  ministerial  brethren  attended  his  obsequies. 

John  P.  Leib  was  born  at  Cornwall,  Lebanon  county, 
Pa.,  Dec.  30,  1802  ;  converted  during  the  great  revival  at 
Orwigsburg ;  entered  the  Eastern  Conference  in  1831;  was 
elected  presiding  elder  in  1836,  in  1840,  in  1848,  in  1852  and 
in  1866.  He  died  at  his  post  while  pastor  at  Phoenixville 
in  1875,  being  found  dead  in  his  bed  on  the  morning  of  Sep- 
tember 7.  He  was  justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  men 
of  the  church.  A  short  time  prior  to  his  death  he  attended  a 
camp-meeting  at  Milford,  during  which  he  made  the  following 
statement  at  a  praise  meeting.  Raising  his  right  hand,  tremb- 
ling with  age,  he  said  :  "I  John  P.  Leib,  seventy-two  years  of 
age,  having  spent  fifty-one  years  in  the  service  of  God,  and 
forty-five  years  in  uninterrupted  succession  in  the  ministry  of  the 


548  ENANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


gospel,  confess  before  you  all  that  I  have  found  pardon  and 
salvation  in  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  that  I  am  the  Lord's 
with  body,  soul  and  spirit,  with  all  I  am  and  possess  both  for 
time  and  eternity."  His  wife  Hannah,  a  sister  of  Rev.  Chas. 
Hammer,  preceded  him  in  death. 

SolotttOll  NeitZ  was  born  in  Lehigh  county,  Pa.,  April  2, 
1821.  He  was  converted  at  the  age  of  fourteen  at  the  Mertz 
church  (the  first  Evangelical  church  in  Lehigh  county),  in 
March,  1835.  He  entered  the  ministry  of  the  East  Pa.  Confer- 
ence, 1840.  In  1855  he  was  conference  agent  for  Union 
Seminary.  He  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1856  and  i860, 
but  having  been  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Publication  to  write 
the  "Life  of  Bishop  Seybert,"  he  resigned  in  1861,  and 
devoted  himself  to  that  work.  He  was  re-elected  presiding 
elder  in  1862,  1866  and  1870;  served  Reading  Eighth  Street 
church  in  1874,  was  re-elected  presiding  elder  in  1875  ;  resigned 
in  1878,  and  was  appointed  to  Reading,  Eighth  Street  again, 
where  he  served  three  years.  In  1881  he  rested  because  of 
failing  health,  and  in  1882  he  was  appointed  to  Reading,  Ninth 
Street,  which  he  served  until  September,  1883,  when  he  became 
disabled  for  further  service  and  thereafter  was  retained  in  the 
itinerancy  without  appointment  until  his  death.  He  was  a  dele- 
gate to  the  General  Conference  of  1856,  and  to  every  subse- 
quent one  until  his  death.  In  1863  he  was  sent  by  the  Board 
of  Missions  to  Germany  to  inspect  and  more  firmly  establish 
the  work  there.  He  was  the  faithful  and  efficient  treasurer  of 
the  Charitable  Society  for  a  number  of  years. 

As  an  orator  Solomon  Neitz  has  probably  never  been  sur- 
passed in  the  church.  His  speech  was  always  weighty,  impres- 
sive and  convincing,  and  he  often  swept  his  audience  into 
raptures  by  his  grand  and  overwhelming  oratory.  Unlike 
many,  whose  only  strength  is  in  their  oratory,  Neitz  was  always 
fertile  in  resources  and  fresh  in  his  subject  matter,  and  fre- 
quently led  his  hearers  into  fields  not  often  traversed  by  others. 
In  1844  Neitz  was  married  to  Susan  Hammer,  a  member  of  an 
eminent  Evangelical  family  of  that  name,  who  were  among  the 
fruits  of  the  great  Orwigsburg  revival.  His  son  Henry  entered 
the  ministry  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference  in  1867.  Father  Neitz 
suffered  a  stroke  of  paralysis  in  Sept.,  1883,  which  caused  his 
death  May  11,  1885,  in  Reading,  Pa.  His  wife  and  four  chil- 
dren survived  him. 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


549 


Henry  Niebel»  son  of  Nicholas  Niebel,  of  Buffalo  Valley, 
Union  county,  Pa.,  was  born  March  i6.  1784.  When  a  young 
man  he  studied  for  the  ministry  of  the  Reformed  Church.  In 
1807  he  taught  school  in  Dry  Valley,  near  New  Berlin,  where 
he  became  acquainted  with  Albright  and  his  colleagues  at  the 
house  of  Abraham  Eyer.  (For  an  account  of  his  remarkable 
conversion  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  paragraph,  "  Dry  Val- 
ley.") In  the  Autumn  of  1808  NiEEfiL  entered  the  ministry  as 
a  supply,  and  in  1809  was  received  into  the  itinerancy.  In 
1815  he  was  elected  the  second  presiding  elder  of  the  church, 
and  stationed  on  Salem  District.  He  located  in  1819  ;  became 
effective  again  in  1829;  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1831, 
and  stationed  on  Canaan  District  j  in  1833,  was  appointed  by 
the  Eastern  Conference,  presiding  elder  of  Ohio  District  which 
embraced  the  entire  Western  Conference.  He  accordingly  re- 
moved to  that  State,  settling  in  Wyandotte  county.  In  Ohio 
he  became  the  leading  man  of  the  conference,  serving  many 
times  as  its  president.  He  served  sixteen  years  as  presiding 
elder,  six  years  in  Pennsylvania  and  ten  in  Ohio.  In  1846  he 
served  Sandusky  Mission,  which  was  his  last  year  in  the  work. 
Niebel  ranks  as  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  church  in  its  in- 
fancy. In  1816  he  and  John  Dreisbach,  by  order  of  the  con- 
ference, compiled  a  hymn  book  csW^d  Das  geistliche  Sattenspeil, 
which  was  approved  by  the  General  Conference.  In  the  same 
year  he  and  Dreisbach  also  improved  the  Discipline.  In  1817 
he  was  one  of  the  committee  appointed  by  General  Conference 
to  arrange  for  a  union  between  our  society  and  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ.  Soon  after  his  conversion,  Niebel  was 
married  to  Mary,  a  daughter  of  Abraham  Ever,  of  Dry  Valley. 
She  died  in  1857,  aged  69  years.  Father  Niebel  lingered  until 
May  2,  1877,  when  he  died  at  the  home  of  his  son  Enos,  in 
Wyandotte  county,  O.,  at  the  advanced  age  of  93  years. 

Abraham  Niebel,  son  of  Rev.  Henry  and  Mary  Niebel, 
was  born  in  181 7  in  Buffalo  Valley,  Union  county,  Pa.,  entered 
the  ministry  of  the  Western  (Ohio)  Conference  in  1838,  and 
devoted  almost  half  a  century  in  the  active  ranks,  serving  sev- 
eral terms  as  presiding  elder, both  in  the  Ohio  and  Pittsburg  Con- 
ference and  many  times  as  General  Conference  delegate.  He  was 
the  father  of  Rev.  B.  H.  Niebel  of  the  Des  Moines  Conference. 

Heary  Rohlaud  was  born  in  Dauphin  county,  Pa.,  Nov. 
15,  1S17,  and  died  in  Freeport,  111.,  April  14,  1895.     -^^^  1839 


550 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


he  entered  the  active  ranks  of  the  West  Pennsylvania  (now 
Central  Pa.)  Conference,  and  labored  with  general  acceptance 
until  1850,  when  he  removed  to  Illinois.  He  accepted  work 
upon  his  arrival  there,  and  although  a  new  comer,  he  was 
elected  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  1851.  Rev.  S. 
Baumgardner,  the  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district, 
having  died,  the  General  Conference  in  1851  elected  Rohland, 
in  his  stead.  He  served  Freeport  District  one  term,  (1851-55) 
was  re-elected  and  served  Madison  District,  one  year,  1855-56, 
when  he  resigned,  and  served  charges  until  i860,  when  he  was 
again  elected  presiding  elder  and  served  Chicago  District,  1860- 
62,  and  Freeport  District,  1862-64.  He  was  treasurer  of  Plain- 
field  College  in  1866-68,  was  re-elected  presiding  elder  and 
served  Freeport  District  in  1876-7Q,  and  took  a  superannuated 
relation  in  1887.  Rohland  ranked  very  highly  as  a  good 
preacher,  sound  theologian,  and  safe  counsellor.  The  success 
of  our  educational  interests  in  the  West  was  largely  due  to  his 
zeal  in  the  good  cause.  In  1844  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Leah  Wolf,  daughter  of  Andrew  Wolf,  Esq.,  of  Buffalo 
Valley,  Pa.,  whose  mother  was  a  sister  of  the  sainted  Rev.  John 
Dreisbach. 

S.  G.  Rhoads  was  born  at  Colebrookdale,  Berks  county, 
Pa.  In  1850  he  served  under  the  presiding  elder  on  Lehigh 
Circuit  and  was  received  into  the  itinerancy  of  the  East  Pa.  Con- 
ference at  the  session  of  1851.  The  characteristics  of  Rhoads 
were  deep  piety,  great  zeal  and  tireless  devotion  to  his  calling. 
He  soon  arose  to  prominence  in  his  conference  and  served  as 
a  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  in  1863,  '67,  '71  and  '75  ; 
at  the  latter  conference  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Publication,  but  his  useful  career  was  cut  short  before  he 
met  the  Board  in  regular  session.  At  the  session  of  1874  he 
was  elected  presiding  elder  and  stationed  on  Philadelphia  Dis- 
trict, which  he  served  with  marked  ability  until  called  to  his 
reward.  He  died  in  Philadelphia  Jan.  4,  1876,  in  the  forty- 
fifth  year  of  his  age.  His  death  was  felt  to  be  a  great  loss  to 
the  church.  His  educational  advantages  were  very  limited, 
but  by  his  close  application  he  became  a  profound  thinker  and 
valuable  contributor  to  the  literature  of  the  church.  He  was 
the  author  of  a  very  helpful  work  entitled  "The  Old  Way." 

Joseph  M.  Saylor  was  born  at  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  Sept. 
4,  1803,  and  died  at  Reading,  Pa.,  Oct.  12,  1891,  aged  88 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


651 


years,  i  month  and  8  days.  He  was  converted  at  Orwigsburg 
under  the  labors  of  John  Seibert  in  1823,  with  whom  he 
traveled  York  Circuit  in  1824.  He  was  licensed  by  the  con- 
ference in  1825,  and  in  1826  he  traveled  in  Ohio,  where  he  was 
ordained  at  the  first  annual  session  in  the  West.  He  was 
elected  presiding  elder  in  1833.  1843  he  founded  the  Evan- 
gelical work  in  Germantown,  and  in  Reading  in  1844 ;  was 
again  elected  presiding  elder  in  1848,  1861,  1872  and  1876. 
He  became  superannuated  in  1882,  but  preached  frequently 
until  within  a  short  time  of  his  death,  being  the  oldest  preacher 
in  years  and  length  of  service  in  the  church.  He  was  in  many 
respects  a  remarkable  man,  and  his  services  to  the  church  were 
indeed  great  and  valuable.  He  was  one  of  the  compilers  of 
the  English  hymn  book  and  other  church  literature.  His 
mind  remained  clear  to  the  last,  his  memory  retaining  with 
great  vividness  the  events  of  the  early  days.  Upon  his  retire- 
ment from  the  active  work  in  1882,  the  East  Pa.  Conference 
adopted  suitable  resolutions  recognizing  his  long  and  valuable 
services. 

William  F.  Schneider  was  born  in  Prussia  in  1834.  In 
1849,  in  company  with  his  mother  and  uncle,  he  came  to 
America  and  settled  at  Lomira,  Wis.  His  mother  soon  dying, 
he  was  left  to  battle  with  the  world  alone  when  still  a  boy.  He 
obtained  employment  with  a  merchant  at  Fon  du  Lac,  where  he 
was  converted  in  1851  under  the  labors  of  C.  A.  Schnake.  In 
1858  he  was  licensed  to  preach  and  served  as  an  itinerant  eight 
years  in  the  Wisconsin  Conference.  In  1866  he  was  appointed 
agent  of  Plainfield,  (now  North  Western)  College,  111.,  in 
which  capacity  he  served  with  great  acceptance  four  years.  In 
1869  he  was  elected  general  publishing  agent  of  the  book  es- 
tablishment, in  which  position  he  continued  until  death.  His 
reelection,  in  1873,  being  by  acclamation,  the  whole  General 
Conference  rising  to  their  feet,  which  was  unprecedented. 
Schneider  was  very  quiet  and  unassuming,  but  very  shrewd 
and  far-seeing,  with  wonderful  business  tact.  Under  his  man- 
agement a  large,  new  building  was  erected  and  all  the  publish- 
ing interests  became  amazingly  prosperous.  He  died  of  fever, 
Aug.  22,  1879,  aged  about  45  years,  leaving  wife  and  six  chil- 
dren. His  untimely  death  cast  a  heavy  gloom  over  the  entire 
church.  His  funeral  at  Cleveland  was  attended  by  the  em- 
ployees of  the  publishing  house  in  a  body,  and  also  many  of 


552 


EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 


the  church  officials  and  ministers.  Addresses  were  delivered 
by  Bishops  Esher  and  Dubs. 

Jacob  Schnerrwas  born  in  Adams  county,  Pa.,  March  17, 
1806,  and  entered  the  ministry  in  1829.  He  was  a  man  of 
singular  piety  and  was  greatly  beloved.  His  service  in  the 
ministry  was  brief,  yet  eminently  successful.  His  crowning  work 
was  the  founding  of  the  first  Evangelical  Society  in  Philadel- 
phia, in  1835.  Among  the  converts  was  Frederick  Krecker, 
who  spent  over  forty  years  in  the  Evangelical  ministry,  besides 
giving  several  sons  to  the  church,  one  of  whom  found  a  mis- 
sionary's grave  in  Japan.  Schnerr  was  a  consumptive,  and 
was  compelled  to  locate  in  1839,  and  thereafter  served  as  agent 
for  the  American  Tract  Society,  as  his  enfeebled  health  per- 
mitted. He  died  at  Orwigsburg,  Pa.,  March  10,  1849.  His 
wife  Sarah,  a  sister  of  Rev.  Charles  Hammer,  survived  him 
many  years. 

Jacob  Schaefele  was  born  in  Alsace,  Germany,  in  1821, 
and  died  at  Aurora,  111.,  December,  1888.  He  entered  the 
ministry  of  the  Illinois  Conference  in  1850,  and  continued  in 
service  until  death.  He  was  presiding  elder  twelve  years,  and 
many  times  General  Conference  delegate.  He  was  held  in  high 
esteem  and  his  death  was  greatly  lamented. 

Absalom  B.  Shaeffer  was  bom  in  Shenandoah  county, 
Va.,  1797,  his  parents  having  removed  thither  from  Lebanon 
county.  Pa.  Later  they  removed  to  Ohio,  where  Bro.  Schaef- 
fer  was  converted  in  1829,  and  entered  the  Western  Confer- 
ence in  1836.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  Evangelical  preach- 
ers in  Indiana,  and  upon  the  organization  of  a  conference  in 
that  State,  he  became  a  member.  He  may  justly  be  regarded 
as  the  father  of  the  Indiana  Conference,  having  had  the  general 
oversight  of  the  work  when  connected  with  the  Ohio,  and  later 
the  Illinois  Conference.  He  was  a  good  preacher,  an  earnest 
worker,  and  an  excellent  organizer.  He  labored  uninterrupt- 
edly in  the  ministry  for  twenty-nine  years,  fifteen  of  which  were 
spent  as  presiding  elder  in  the  Ohio,  Illinois  and  Indiana  Con- 
ferences. He  located  in  1866,  and  died  Dec.  20,  1869.  His 
body  sleeps  at  East  Germantown,  Ind. 

Ellas  Stoever  was  born  in  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Sept.  18,  1805, 
and  died  near  Greensburgh,  Ohio,  Aug.  16,  1874.  He  became 
the  subject  of  saving  grace  in,  1824,  under  the  labors  of  Rev. 
Philip  Breitenstein  and  his  son  John.    With  him  were  also 


EVANGELICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


converted  Henry  Fisher  and  Jacob  Burkitt,  all  of  whom  be- 
came most  eminent  servants  of  the  Lord.  Stoever  became  a 
member  of  the  class  organized  at  Lebanon,  by  John  Seybert, 
in  1826.  He  was  licensed  to  preach  and  assigned  by  John 
Seybert  as  junior  preacher  to  Schuylkill  Circuit,  in  1827.  In 
1843  he  was  elected  presiding  elder  of  Columbiana  District, 
Ohio,  and  served  three  years,  was  re-elected  in  1847,  and  served 
Mohican  District,  but  became  disabled  in  1848,  and  superannu  - 
ated in  1849.  He  was  a  grand  man,  universally  beloved,  and 
only  retired  from  the  active  ranks  when  completely  broken  down. 
His  ministry  covered  forty-seven  years,  twenty-two  in  the  active 
work.     He  was  a  member  of  six  General  Conferences. 

Philip  Wagoner  was  born  near  Carlisle,  Pa.,  Nov.  22, 
1800  ;  entered  the  active  ministry  in  1822,  and  was  elected  pre- 
siding elder  in  1833,  in  which  capacity  he  served  almost  a  quar- 
ter of  a  century.  He  was  also  president  of  the  conference  a 
number  of  sessions.  He  was  a  member  of  ten  General  Confer- 
ences, and  his  great  services  to  the  church  are  inseparably  con- 
nected v,'ith  its  history.  He  had  a  powerful  body,  a  very  fine 
voice,  an  excellent  command  of  language,  preaching  in  English 
and  German  with  equal  fluency.  The  author  heard  him  preach 
an  unusually  powerful  sermon  in  1868,  at  a  camp-meeting  in 
Centreville,  Pa.,  his  text  being:  "But  one  thing  is  needful." 
In  the  course  of  his  sermon,  he  said  of  himself  that  he  had  al- 
ways cherished  the  hope  that  the  Lord  would  permit  him  to  fin- 
ish half  a  century  of  active  service  in  the  ministry.  Should 
this  be  denied  him,  he  prayed  God  that  he  might  die  with  the 
harness  on.  This  desire  was  granted,  for  he  labored  to  within 
a  few  days  of  his  death,  and  died  on  his  charge,  Williamsport, 
Pa.,  Feb.  15,  1870,  aged  69  years,  3  months  and  22  days.  His 
remains  repose  at  Lewisburgh.  His  loving  wife  Catharine, 
bom  April  3,  1799,  died  Sept.  8,  1870,  and  who  bore  such  trials 
as  but  few  are  called  on  to  bear,  reposes  by  his  side. 

In  T/i'e  Evangelical  Messenger  of  March  13,  1858,  we  find  a 
remarkable  letter  from  this  old  veteran  of  which  we  give  an  ex- 
tract to  indicate  its  spirit,  as  follows  : 

"With  the  close  of  this  conference  year,  my  term  as  presid- 
ing elder  expires,  a  capacity  in  which  I  have  served  the  church 
for  twenty-two  years.  During  all  this  time  I  have  not  missed  a 
single  appointment,  unless  through  sickness  of  myself  or  family, 
and  for  the  last  four  years  I  have  succeeded  in  meeting  every 


554  EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION  ANNALS. 

•  one,  and  in  all  the  temptations,  both  external  and  internal, 
through  which  I  had  to  pass,  the  Lord  has  been  my  Sun,  my 
Shield,  and  my  Support,  and  I  am  still  willing  to  serve  the 
-church  as  itinerant  preacher  so  long  as  I  am  able,  for  it  is  my 
meat  and  drink  to  do  my  Master's  will." 

The  home  of  Philip  Wagoner  was  for  a  number  of  years  in 
Brush  Valley,  Centre  county,  Pa.  During  a  protracted  meeting 
"there,  he  preached  one  evening  and  then  walked  down  the  aisle, 
pleading  with  sinners  to  come  to  the  altar.  As  he  passed  a  certain 
pew,  when  a  young  man  named  George  Weirick  suddenly  thrust 
out  his  foot  and  tripped  the  portly  preacher,  who  fell  heavily  to 
the  floor.  This  created  a  great  sensation,  but  Wagoner  did  not 
resent  the  mischief  in  the  least,  and  his  kind  words  smote  the 
young  man's  conscience,  who  not  only  became  ashamed  of  his 
conduct,  but  also  distressed  because  of  his  sin.  He  began  to 
seek  the  Saviour,  and  some  time  afterwards  was  converted,  and 
sought  Wagoner's  pardon.  He  became  a  very  devoted  Chris- 
tian, and  was  called  of  the  Lord  to  the  ministry,  in  1842  ;  was 
elected  presiding  elder  in  1848,  and  served  Allegheny  District, 
resigning  in  1849  because  of  failing  health,  and  died  in  1850,  at 
Millheim,  Pa.  He  was  a  man  of  great  promise,  and  his  early 
death  was  deeply  mourned.  Through  that  mischievous  act  of 
the  young  man  and  Wagoner's  fall,  the  Lord  won  scores  of 
souls. 

J.  G.  Zitizer  was  born  in  Germany,  in  1806,  entered  the 
ranks  of  the  Western  Conference  in  1829,  but  labored  mostly  in 
the  early  part  of  the  ministry  in  the  Eastern  Conference,  in  which 
he  was  elected  presiding  elder  in  1834;  was  elected  presiding 
elder  in  the  Ohio  Conference  in  1839,  and  re-elected  in  1843, 
1847.  In  1852  he  was  elected  editor  of  the  Chrisiliche  Boischaf- 
ter,  again  elected  presiding  elder  in  1855,  and  later  superin- 
tendent of  Ebenezer  Orphan  Home.  He  located  in  1872,  set- 
tling in  El  Paso,  111.,  where  he  died,  October,  1883.  He  was 
justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  foremost  men  of  the  Church.  He 
was  the  chief  promoter  and  founder  of  our  orphan  home,  and 
•was  its  first  superintendent  and  collector,  in  1866-67. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 

PART  IV. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 

Embracing  an  Account  of  the  Division  of  the 

Evangelical  Association, 

The  Causes  which  led  thereto,  and  the  Organization 
OF  the 

United  Evangelical  Church. 

Also  a  Continuation  of  the  Annals  of  the  Annual  Con- 
ferences Adhering  thereto,  and  Brief  Abstracts  of  Gen 
eral   Conference    Proceedings,    Church  Organizations, 
Literary  Institutions,  Statistics,  Etc. 


555  * 


ClUIKCIl,   \.\1'KKV1I.I.|;,  Il.l..,  WHKRE  THK   I'MlEl)  E  VANC.  ELICAI. 

Church  was  organizku  1896. 


CHAPTER  I. 


A  Preliminary  Dissertation  on  the  Division  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association,  and  the  Causes  Which 
Led  Thereto. 

The  Element  of  Discord. — The  picture  hitherto  pre- 
sented to  the  reader  in  this  work,  has  been  one  of  peace  and 
«  prosperity.  He  must  not,  however,  conclude  that  the  Evangel- 
ical Association  did  not  have  its  seasons  of  trials  and  dfficulties, 
in  common  with  all  newly  formed  denominations.  So  long  as 
affairs  were  under  the  control  of  her  original  people,  and  domi- 
nated by  the  fathers  of  the  church  and  their  immediate  succes- 
sors, difficulties  were  overcome  in  the  spirit  of  Christian 
forbearance. 

A  new  element  now  appears  on  the  horizon  of  her  history, 
which  casts  a  dark  shadow  over  this  era  of  peace  and  prosper- 
ity. It  will  be  recalled  that  the  uniform  tendency  of  the  fathers 
was  to  restrict  the  powers  of  the  bishops,  and  to  guard  against  the 
centralization  of  power. 

The  reader  will  also  recall  the  warning  of  Bishop  Long, 
when  steps  were  being  taken  to  increase  the  power  of  the  epis- 
copacy :  "You  must  remember  first  of  all  that  when  you  vote 
power  to  men  they  will  use  it.  This  may  do  as  long  as  you 
have  Bishop  Seybert  and  myself  in  office,  but  you  will  get  men 
who  will  use  all  the  powers  you  give  them,  and  not  always  for 
the  best  interests  of  the  church."  To  narrate  the  fulfillment 
of  this  prophecy  has  now  become  a  mournful  duty.  Its  de- 
velopments and  terminations,  however,  have  been  so  manifold 
and  extensive  as  to  preclude  anything  but  a  brief  review  of  the 
cause,  process  and  final  accomplishment  of  the  disruption  of 
the  church. 

557 


558 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


In  1845  there  was  licensed  by  the  Illinois  Gonference  a 
young  man  named  J.  J.  Esher,  who  in  a  few  years  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  church.  His  ability  was  undoubted  and 
his  promotion  was  rapid.  At  the  General  Conference  of  1855 
his  admirers  put  him  forward  as  a  candidate  for  an  important 
office.  Bishop  Long  at  that  conference  expressed  himself  in  so 
pronounced  a  manner  against  the  proposed  candidature  of 
Esher  as  to  incur  the  ill  will  of  many  prominent  men  who 
advanced  the  latter's  claim  for  preferment.  Bishop  Long  died 
in  1869,  from  which  time  until  the  Autumn  of  187 1,  Bishop 
Esher  was  the  only  incumbent  of  the  office,  and  to  this  period 
must  be  assigned  the  development  of  his  peculiar  ecclesias- 
ticism,  which  perhaps,  undesigned  by  himself,  has  made  the 
general  interests  of  the  church  subservient  to  his  own  will 
and  purposes,  and  caused  grave  apprehensions  to  fill  the 
minds  of  many  of  the  leading  men  of  the  church  for  her 
safety. 

Beginning  with  his  elevation  to  the  episcopacy.  Bishop 
Esher  sought  to  gather  around  himself,  in  special  bonds  of 
confidence,  such  as  were  like-minded  and  in  accord  with  his 
distinctive  polity.  Such  as  he  would  not  trust,  he  held  aloof, 
and  such  as  opposed  his  aspirations  he  uniformly  regarded  as 
enemies.  When  in  his  native  element  it  is  said  he  sometimes 
took  occasion  to  speak  disparagingly  of  the  Eastern  confer- 
ences. In  this  way  a  nativistic  spirit  was  engendered  and  deep- 
rooted  prejudices  were  implanted,  which  became  painfully  man- 
ifest, not  only  in  the  church  periodicals,  but  in  her  legislative 
bodies  as  well.  Long  before  the  final  culmination  of  these 
troubles.  Bishop  Esher  had  come  in  serious  conflict  with  his 
own  (the  Illinois)  conference,  and  incurred  a  vote  of  censure 
by  that  body,  which  censure,  however,  was  later  disapproved 
of  by  the  General  Conference,  and  ordered  to  be  expunged 
from  the  conference  minutes.  The  matters  involved  were  very 
intricate  and  of  far-reaching  consequence.  So  serious  did 
affairs  become,  that  a  "Peace  Conference"  was  convened  in 
Chicago,  in  November,  1878,  attended  by  some  of  the  leading 
men  of  the  church.  An  adjustment  of  the  difficulty  was  made, 
as  was  supposed,  and  the  conference  dissolved.  But  what  was 
their  surprise  to  learn  that  Esher  had  declared  soon  afterwards 
that  the  matters  remained  "unadjusted."    To  such  an  extent 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  559 


did  Bishop  Esher's  peculiar  polity  manifest  itself  that  it  be- 
came a  matter  of  deep  concern  to  the  delegates  of  the  General 
Conference  in  1875,  and  produced  considerable  agitation.  Two 
additional  bishops  were  elected  at  this  conference — Rudolph 
Dubs  and  Thomas  Bowman.  In  the  Spring  of  1882,  the  fam- 
ilies of  EsHER  and  Bowman  became  united  by  matrimonial  ties, 
and,  as  a  consequence,  the  isolation  of  Bishop  Dubs  followed. 
Thereafter  the  Episcopal  Board  was  divided.  Bowman's  atti- 
tude on  church  questions  was  in  hearty  accord  with  Esher. 

Ecumenical  Council  Difficulties. — By  reference  to  the 
proceedings  of  the  General  Conference  of  1879,  it  will  be  seen 
that  an  invitation  was  received  by  that  body  to  send  delegates 
to  the  Ecumenical  Council  of  Methodism  to  be  held  in  London. 
The  delegates  elected  were  Bishop  Dubs  and  Rev.  D.  B.  Byers, 
of  the  Illinois  Conference.  This  selection  was  very  unaccept- 
able to  the  Esher  party,  who,  soon  after  the  adjournment  of 
the  General  Conference,  held  that  they  had  not  been  elected  as 
delegates,  but  merely  as  a  committee  of  arrangements,  notwith- 
standing the  explicit  language  of  the  resolution. 

The  Board  of  Bishops  met  in  October,  1880,  at  which  time 
a  new  arrangement  was  made  by  them,  whereby  Bishop  T. 
Bowman  and  Rev.  H.  Hintze  were  constituted — as  Bishop 
Dubs  held — additional  delegates.  However,  immediately  after- 
wards, Bishops  Esher  and  Bowman  asserted  that  the  new 
arrangement  did  not  include  Bishop  Dubs  and  Rev.  D.  B. 
Byers  at  all.  This  misunderstanding  led  to  an  acrid  contro- 
versy in  the  church  periodicals,  and  by  which  the  church  be- 
came aware  of  the  difficulty.  Bishop  Dubs,  as  secretary  of 
the  Episcopal  Board,  being  of  necessity  in  correspondence 
with  Dr.  George,  the  secretary  of  the  Committee  of  Arrange- 
ments for  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  learned  that  Bishop 
Esher  had  accused  him  (Bishop  Dubs)  of  making  false  state- 
ments in  reference  to  the  matter  in  his  communications  to  Dr. 
George.  This  new  entanglement  at  once  served  to  widen  the 
breach  between  the  two  bishops. 

At  the  General  Conference  of  1883,  held  at  Allentown,  Pa., 
an  earnest  effort  Avas  made  by  that  body  to  heal  the  breach. 
The  conference,  sitting  as  a  committee  of  the  whole,  occupied 
many  days  in  listening  to  the  allegations  of  the  interested 
parties,  especially  Esher,  who  openly  accused  Bishop  Dubs  of 


560 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


falsehood,  and  declared  that  he  had  lost  "the  last  vestige  of 
confidence  in  him."  The  General  Conference,  after  hearing 
both  sides  of  the  controversy,  and  after  mutual  concessions 
had  been  made  tending  to  reconciliation,  directed  the  bishops 
to  settle  their  difficulties  privately.  For  this  purpose  Bishops 
EsHER,  Dubs  and  Bowman  met  on  the  evening  of  October 
i8,  in  the  home  of  the  latter.  The  following  morning  Bishop 
EsHER  appeared  before  the  General  Conference,  and  in  an 
unequivocal  manner  retracted  his  charge  of  falsehood  against 
Bishop  Dubs,  and  their  differences  were  in  open  conference, 
declared  adjusted.  A  few  days  later  he  gave  Bishop  Dubs  a 
written  statement  of  the  adjustment  of  which  the  following  is 
a  translated  copy : 

"My  Explanation  Before  the  Conference. 

In  reference  to  the  letter  of  Bishop  Dues  to  Dr.  George, 
I  declare  herewith  that  upon  the  analysis  and  explanation  of 
Bishop  Dubs,  I  retract  herewith  the  acousation  of  falsehood, 
which  I  had  made  under  the  then  existing  opinions  and  im- 
pressions. (So  far,  according  to  agreement  made  before  con- 
ference.) Then  I  added  verbally:  'Further,  I  say  I  never 
held  Bishop  Dubs  responsible  for  the  contents  of  the  lost 
letter,  but  could  not  avoid  believing  that  he  stood  in  a  corres- 
pondence whose  nature  and  substance  was  indicated  by  the  lost 
letter.  And  further,  I  declare  here,  that  I  regard  Bishop  Dubs' 
explanation  as  honest  and  sincere,  and  not,  as  was  said  yester- 
day by  a  pretended  friend,  that  it  had  proceeded  from  a  weak- 
ened condition  of  his  health  and  mind,  and  upon  this  ground  I 
wish  to  serve  God  and  the  church  with  him  in  proper  confi- 
dence, in  whatever  position  the  church  may  place  me.'  (So 
far  verbally. ) 

"  The  following  I  added  substantially  :  '  I  might  further  add 
that  no  one  shall  meddle  with  our  matters.  I  believe  we  are 
capable  to  settle  the  matters  between  ourselves,  wtthout  the 
intermeddling  of  others.    The  matter  is  done. 

"J.    J.  ESHER." 

"Allentown,  Pa.,  Oct.  20,  1883." 

The  result  of  the  reconciliation  was  that  the  three  bishops 
were  reelected.  Dubs  having  by  far  the  largest  number  of  votes. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


561 


and  EsHER  a  very  narrow  margin.  The  reconciliation, 
however,  was  only  temporary.  The  factional  feelings  aud  na- 
tivistic  prejudices,  engendered  by  many  years  of  shrewd  ma- 
nipulation were  not  in  the  least  allayed. 

In  1885  one  of  Bishop  Esher's  most  subservient  friends,  a 
European  German,  declared  to  the  author  that  Dubs  had  be- 
trayed his  countrymen,  and  "had  gone  over  to  the  other  party," 
and  at  the  next  General  Conference  they  would  succeed  in  de- 
feating him.  With  the  conversion  of  Bishop  Bowman  to  his 
interests.  Bishop  Esher  naturally  became  more  aggressive  in 
furthering  his  High  Church  views 

Japan  Mission  Difficulties.  —  In  1884  circumstances 
led  to  an  inspection  of  the  Japan  Mission  by  Bishop  Esher, 
who  prolonged  his  visit  to  that  field  a  considerable  length  of 
time,  returning  home  in  the  Spring  of  the  following  year.  The 
purpose  of  his  visit,  and  details  of  his  actions  while  there,  must 
be  passed  by  for  the  present.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  in  his  of- 
ficial report  to  the  Board  of  Missions,  the  bishop  cast  unwar- 
ranted reflections  on  the  administration  of  the  superintendent 
of  the  mission.  Rev.  Jacob  Hartzler.  That  Bishop  Esher's 
conduct  toward  the  superintendent  while  in  Japan,  and  his 
aspersions  on  his  work  in  his  report  were  the  result  of  personal 
feeling  and  prejudice,  is  clearly  apparent  to  any  one  capable  of 
forming  an  unbiased  judgment. 

Esher's  report  caused  great  dissatisfaction  among  that  ele- 
ment of  the  church  afterwards  known  as  the  ' '  Minority, "  and  the 
Editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  Dr.  H.  B.  Hartzler, 
severely  criticised  it.  But  Bishop  Esher  never  could  endure 
unfavorable  criticism,  and  regarded  every  critic  as  his  enemy. 
The  reader  will  therefore  not  be  surprised  that  an  unusually 
acrimonious  controversy  ensued  in  the  Evangelical  Messenger 
between  the  editor  and  the  bishop,  in  which  their  friends  also 
became  involved  and  new  issues  were  opened. 

The  controversy  also  incidentally  involved  important  prin- 
ciples of  church  polity.  For  instance,  Bishop  Esher  claimed 
that  his  report,  being  an  official  document,  was  not  a  proper 
subject  for  criticism.  Every  free-born  American  knows  that 
this  principle  is  at  utter  variance  with  the  spirit  of  our  institu- 
tions. If  applied  to  the  public  press,  all  debate  on  the  great 
civil  and  political  questions  of  the  day  would  cease,  and  free 


562 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANJSALS. 


speech  and  a  free  press,  would  give  way  to  the  despotism  and 
censorship  characteristic  of  the  dominion  of  the  Czar. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  editor  held  that  the  bishop  must 
be  subject  to  the  rules  governing  controversies,  irrespective 
of  his  rank,  just  like  any  other  person,  as  established  by 
the  General  Conference  of  1863,  no  exceptions  being  made 
for  any  one  because  of  superior  rank.  The  bishop  refused 
to  conform  to  this  rule,  and  the  publishers  being  his  allies, 
permitted  him  to  insert  his  productions  in  the  advertising 
department  of  the  paper,  over  which  the  editor  had  no  control. 

Sentiment  focalized  rapidly  around  the  contestants  ;  party 
lines  were  drawn  more  and  more  distinctly  ;  the  minority 
being  entirely  on  the  defensive.  Meanwhile  the  leading  men 
of  the  church  foresaw  that  a  conflict  at  the  approaching 
General  Conference  of  1887  was  imminent.  It  was  generally 
understood  that  Bishop  Esher  would  prefer  charges  against 
the  editor  of  the  Evangelical  Messenger,  while  counter  charges 
were  also  probable.  To  such  an  extent  did  the  Esher  party 
pursue  its  questionable  course  to  crush  the  liberal  sentiment  of 
the  church,  that  a  caucus  was  held  by  its  leaders  in  Cleveland. 
O.,  at  the  house  of  an  "official,"  in  the  month  of  June,  1887. 
This  caucus  was  presided  over  by  a  dignitary,  and  was  at- 
tended by  many  of  the  faithful  allies  from  the  book  estab- 
lishment and  other  places.  To  their  shame  and  disgrace  it 
must  be  said  that  they  then  and  there  conspired  and  planned 
the  defeat  and  overthrow  of  all  who  were  in  accord  with 
the  minority.  Talented,  consecrated,  inoffensive  men  were 
marked  to  be  sacrificed.  The  meeting  and  action  of  this 
reprehensible  conclave  might  never  have  been  known  outside 
of  its  own  circle,  had  not  one  of  the  participants  afterwards 
been  led  to  see  its  injustice,  and  in  1893  made  public  confession 
thereof  through  the  press. 

The  Issues  Joined. — The  General  Conference  of  1887 
was  the  most  momentous  ever  held  in  the  history  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association.  It  now  became  a  question  whether  the 
liberal  and  truly  Evangelical  polity  of  the  first  Delegate  Con- 
ference of  1843,  o""  ^  foreign  ecclesiastical  hierarchy,  should 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


588 


henceforth  prevail  in  the  church.  Immediately  after  the  open- 
ing of  the  conference  charges  were  preferred  against  H.  B. 
Hartzler  by  Attorney  E.  B.  Esher,  son  of  Bishop  Esher, 
Rev,  M.  Pfitzinger  and  Rev.  George  Vetter.  The  unlawful 
character  of  the  charges,  as  well  as  the  undisciplinary  character 
of  the  trial  is  set  forth  in  documents  which  follow.  The  trial 
court  consisted  of  the  conference,  sitting  as  a  committee  of  the 
whole,  hence  Bishop  Esher  himself  sat  as  a  Judge  and  served 
as  a  juror  at  the  trial  of  his  opponent.  It  may  here  be  said 
that  the  issue  at  once  resolved  itself  into  a  question,  not  of 
moral,  but  of  numerical  strength,  hence  the  verdict  was  antici- 
pated before  the  trial  actually  began. 

The  first  question  to  be  settled  was  whether  the  confer- 
ence had  jurisdiction.  Bishop  Esher,  the  accused  editor's 
public  opponent,  was  in  the  chair,  and  decided  in  the  affirma- 
tive. A  protest  was  offered  by  the  defendant  against  the  pro- 
ceedings on  the  ground  that  the  conference  had  no  disciplinary 
jurisdiction  in  the  case  ;  that  the  charges  were  vague,  indefinite 
and  inadequate,  and  that  the  moral  and  official  conduct  of  the 
defendant  now  on  trial,  had  been  repeatedly  approved,  with  a 
full  knowledge  of  all  the  allegations  of  the  plaintiff,  by  the 
bodies  to  which  he  was  primarily  amenable.  To  this  protest 
the  plaintiff  offered  a  rejoinder.  This  action  then  brought  the 
question  of  the  regularity  of  the  charges  before  the  body. 
Bishop  Dubs  in  the  chair  ruled  against  the  plaintiff  in  the  fol- 
lowing decision  : 

1.  Whenever  charges  are  presented,  the  first  requisite  is  the  consideration 
of  their  legality.  It  must  be  determined  whether  the  proper  legal  requirements 
have  been  complied  with. 

These  requirement  have  a  twofold  purpose  :  (a)  the  protection  of  the  ac- 
cused against  all  summary  dealing  with  him,  by  affording  him  ample  oppor- 
tunity to  defend  himself  against  a  too  hasty  procedure  and  an  unjust  judgment ; 
(3)  the  furnishing  of  the  court  with  all  the  information  essential  to  a  correct 
knowledge  of  the  guilt  or  innocence  of  the  accused,  thus  enabling  it  to  judge 
correctly  and  justly. 

The  object  of  these  requirements  is,  above  all  things  else,  the  realization  of 
this  twofold  purpose. 

2.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  Plaintiff  to  comply  with  the  legal  requirements  in 
the  presentation  of  his  charges,  and  the  accused  is  under  no  obligation  to  call 
the  attention  of  the  Plaintiff  to  any  illegalities  or  defects  in  his  bill  of  charges 
prior  to  the  time  of  investigation,  but  it  is  his  privilege  to  do  so  at  the  time  of 
the  opening  of  the  trial. 

Technical  questions  assume  the  following  character:  (l)  are  they  before 


664 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


the  proper  tribunal  ?  (2)  are  the  charges  formulated  in  accordance  with  the 
provisions  of  the  law  ? 

The  first  of  these  questions  was  decided  yesterday,  the  other  is  now  be- 
fore us. 

3.  In  this  case  the  Defendant  did  call  the  attention  of  the  PlaintifE  to  the 
irregularity  of  the  charge  in  form,  as  it  appeared  to  him,  and  the  indefiniteness 
of  its  specifications,  and  requested  that  he  be  furnished  clearer  specifications. 
The  Plaintiff  was  not  under  obligation  to  grant  the  request  of  the  Defendant, 
but,  inasmuch  as  the  Defendant  has  called  attention  to  this  matter  and  requests 
the  decision  of  this  body,  it  is  incumbent  upon  us  to  decide  whether  his  objec- 
tion is  well  taken,  and  whether  it  shall  be  confirmed. 

4.  The  action  of  the  Defendant  shows  that  he  does  not  seek  to  evade  a  trial 
by  availing  himself  of  technicalities,  since,  in  that  event,  he  would  not  have 
called  the  attention  of  the  Plaintifi  to  the  same. 

This,  though  it  cannot  be  decisive,  should  at  least  be  taken  into  considera- 
tion in  our  inquiry  into  his  present  objections.  The  demand  for  a  more  specific 
statement  of  the  charges  and  more  definite  specifications  be  based  upon  the  fact 
that  this  is  essential  to  enable  him  to  fully  prepare  his  defense,  and,  that 
legally,  he  is  entitled  thereto. 

5.  On  this  point  the  court  is  required  to  consider  that  each  specification 
must  be  voted  upon  whether  it  is  proven  or  not,  and  for  that  reason,  clearness 
and  definiteness  of  statement  are  indispensable.  Specifications  must  be  stated 
clearly  in  order  to  enable  the  court  to  vote  intelligently.  When  shall  this  be 
done  ?  The  Defendant  is  to  meet  the  charges  and  defend  himself.  When  shall 
his  request  be  granted,  so  that  he  may  be  able  to  prepare  his  defense  ? 

6.  This  body  being  the  highest  tribunal  of  our  church  and,  since  by  the 
decision  regarding  the  powers  of  the  court,  the  Defendant  has  virtually  lost  his 
right  of  appeal,  and  it  is  important  that  we  act  very  cautiously  on  all  these 
points.  Moreover,  the  charges  are  of  such  a  character  that  Defendant,  if  found 
guilty,  may  have  to  endure  the  severest  penalty  the  church  can  inflict. 

We  may  not  have  definite  directions  how  to  proceed  with  every  particular 
phase  of  a  trial,  but  in  cases  where  such  directions  are  wanting  we  should  not 
act  contrary  to  the  definite  declarations  of  such  legal  provisions  as  are  universally 
recognized  and  generally  sanctioned  in  cases  of  charge  and  investigations,  and 
in  accordance  with  these  provisions  the  objections  of  the  Defendant  are  to  be 
considered. 

7.  Our  entire  course  of  procedure  in  a  trial  is  upon  the  broad  basis,  recog- 
nized universally,  that  the  Defendant  be  definitely  informed  of  what  he  is  ac- 
cused, for  what  he  is  called  to  account,  that  he  may  be  able  to  prepare  his  de- 
fense.   For  this  reason,  also,  his  objections  should  be  considered. 

8.  Charges  should  be  stated  concisely  and  briefly,  plainly  designating  the 
charges  to  be  investigated  and  naming  the  offenses  upon  which  it  is  based. 
The  specifications  should  immediately  follow  the  charges  which  they  are  to 
prove.  A  specification  must  allege  a  fact,  and  that  must  designate  the  relation 
of  the  alleged  fact  to  the  Defendant,  also  the  time  when  and  the  place  where 
the  alleged  fact,  or  facts,  shall  have  occurred  should  be  stated  as  definitely  as  pos- 
sible. 

And,  whereas,  these  requirements  have  not  been  compiled  with  in  all  points 
of  the  charges  in  question,  therefore  the  charges  shall  be  referred  back  to  the 
PlaintiS  for  amendature  on  these  points. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  565 


Immediately  after  this  ruling,  Bishop  Bowman  offered  the 
following  appeal  from  the  chairman's  decision  : 

Whereas,  Neither  in  our  book  of  Discipline,  nor  by  any  enactment  of 
General  Conference,  any  form  has  been  laid  down,  according  to  which  charges 
must  be  preferred,  hence  every  one  preferring  charges,  must  be  allowed  to  use 
his  own  judgment ;  and, 

Whereas,  The  matter  before  us  is  one  of  the  greatest  importance  to  our 
church,  and  ought  to  be  decided  upon  the  broad  principle  of  righteousness 
and  truth,  I  therefore  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the  chair,  to  this  conference, 
that  the  charges  and  specifications  are  in  sufficient  legal  form  for  us  to  proceed 
with  the  trial. 

Any  one  familiar  with  the  laws  and  usages  of  the  Evangel- 
ical Association  will  know  that  the  appeal  of  Bishop  Bowman 
is  a  piece  of  transparent  sophistry.  The  fact  is,  that  full  and 
explicit  provisions  are  made  for  such  cases  in  the  Discipline, 
but  for  the  purposes  of  the  "majority"  they  were  then,  and 
have  been  ever  since,  ignored  or  perverted,  to  suit  their  pur- 
poses. The  appeal,  of  course,  prevailed  by  a  strictly  party 
vote,  and  the  farce,  miscalled  a  "trial,"  began,  continuing  over 
three  weeks,  during  which  time  all  the  issues  involved  were 
thoroughly  canvassed,  the  outcome  being  a  verdict  of  "guilty" 
pronounced  by  a  vote  of  57  to  47.  A  committee  of  thirteen 
was  appointed  to  formulate  a  sentence,  which  was  as  follows  : 

Whereas,  The  specifications  under  the  charges  against  Rev.  H.  B.  Hartz- 
LER  have  been  sustained  by  General  Conference,  and  in  view  that  this  in- 
volves the  severest  penalty  in  the  jurisdiction  of  our  church  for  such  offenses, 
but  the  General  Conference  prefers  the  mildest  sentence  ;  be  it 

Resolved,  That  Rev.  H.  B.  Hartzler  be  deposed  from  the  office  as  editor 
of  the  Evangelical  Messenger. 

Great  was  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  friends  of  Hartz- 
ler, and  the  "trial"  was  freely  declared  an  outrage  and  a 
travesty  on  justice.  Hence  the  following  protest,  signed  by 
forty-one  delegates,  was  presented  to  conference : 

Protest  of  the  Minority, 

We,  the  undersigned  members  of  the  General  Conference  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association,  in  Buffalo  assembled,  September,  1887,  having  heard  the 
charges,  specifications  and  evidence  in  the  matter  of  the  charges  by  Reverend 
M.  Pfitzinger  and  others  against  Reverend  H.  B.  Hartzler,  are  thoroughly 
convinced  that  the  said  charges  and  specifications  were  too  indefinite  and  un- 
certain to  warrant  a  hearing  thereon  by  this  body,  in  harmony  with  the  laws 
and  usages  of  our  church,  and  that  the  evidence  adduced  by  the  prosecution 
is  wholly  insufficient  to  warrant  a  verdict  of  guilty  under  said  charges  and 
specifications. 


566 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


We  are  further  convinced  that  much  of  the  evidence  introduced  by  the 
prosecution  was  wholly  irrelevant  and  immaterial,  and  calculated  to  prejudice 
the  minds  of  many  of  the  members  of  this  conference  against  the  Defendant, 
and  that  the  method  employed  by  the  prosecution  in  obtaining  much  of  said 
evidence  was  unfair  towards  the  accused,  whereby  he  was  prevented  from  hav- 
ing a  fair  and  impartial  trial  in  said  case. 

We  are  further  convinced  that  the  secret  petition  wherein  the  accused  was 
pronounced  guilty  of  a  violation  of  our  Discipline,  and  wherein  he,  the  ac- 
cused, was  vilified  and  slandered,  which  petition  was  written  by  M.  Pfitzingek, 
one  of  the  accusers,  and  by  him  caused  to  be  circulated  through  a  portion  of 
our  church,  for  the  signatures  of  ministers  and  laymen,  long  before  the  session 
of  this  conference,  had  a  great  influence  upon  the  minds  of  many  members  of 
this  conference,  and  that  thereby  they  became  prejudiced  against  the  accused, 
so  that  he  was  prevented  from  having  a  fair  and  impartial  trial. 

That  we  characterize  the  conduct  of  said  M.  Pfitzingek,  in  writing  and 
circulating  the  said  petition,  as  an  act  wholly  at  variance  with  the  Discipline  of 
our  church,  and  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  God's  word. 

And  further ;  it  is  our  opinion  that  this  matter  is  illegally  before  this 
body,  because  of  the  matters  charged  against  Brother  Hartzler  were  well  and 
publicly  known  prior  to  the  latest  sessions  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  to  which 
he  is  accountable  for  his  moral  conduct,  and  the  Board  of  Publication,  to  which 
he  is  accountable  for  his  official  conduct,  and  both  these  bodies  passed  his 
character  without  any  objection. 

Moreover,  the  Discipline,  in  the  only  rule  given  for  the  trial  of  editors, 
requires  a  two-thirds  vote  for  conviction  and  deposing  from  office,  and  from 
that  decision  the  accused  has  an  appeal,  while  in  the  case  of  Brother  Hartzler 
the  accused  has  no  appeal,  although  a  vote  for  conviction  was  carried  by  a  mere 
majority  of  this  body. 

Wherefore,  by  reason  of  the  premises  herein,  we  consider  the  verdict  of 
"guilty"  unwarranted  and  unjust,  and  we  hereby,  in  the  name  of  our  con- 
stituency, numbering  nearly  one-half  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  solemnly 
protest  against  any  further  action  in  the  matter  of  said  charges,  and  demand 
that  this,  our  formal  protest,  together  with  our  names,  which  are  hereto  sub- 
scribed, shall  be  spread  at  length  upon  the  records  of  this  Conference,  and 
published  in  the  printed  Journal  of  the  proceedings  thereof,  and  that  a  copy 
hereof  be  published  in  each  of  our  weekly  periodicals.  (Signed  by  forty-one 
delegates. ) 

Bishop  Bowman  occupied  the  chair  when  this  protest  was 
presented.  The  simple  request  of  the  protestants,  to  allow 
their  paper  to  be  placed  on  the  records  of  the  conference, 
was  refused,  and  all  debate  on  the  subject  was  cut  off  by  him 
on  the  ground  that  the  Protest  contained  allegations  that  were 
untrue,  and  that  it  was  rebellion  against  the  authority  of  the 
church. 

The  reception  of  this  document,  couched  in  firm  but  respect- 
ful language,  and  signed  by  almost  one-half  of  the  delegates, 
would  have  been  in  accordance  with  parliamentary  usage,  and 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  567 


ia  keeping  with  a  brotherly  and  Christian  spirit.  Its  refusal, 
and  the  subsequent  abuse  of  the  protestants,  in  the  church 
periodicals,  with  no  opportunity  of  defense,  was  in  strict  ac- 
cordance with  "  Majority"  intolerance,  and  was  a  potent  factor 
in  the  difficulties  which  followed. 

Bishop  EsHER  and  his  allies  gained  their  end,  but  paid  the 
price  of  conquest  with  the  disruption  of  the  church.  He  and 
nearly  all  his  candidates  were  elected  to  fill  the  offices  of  the 
church,  but  their  cup  of  rejoicing  was  mingled  with  the  bitter 
dregs  of  disappointment,  for  Rudolph  Dubs,  Esher's  noted 
rival,  was  also  reelected. 

The  conference  adjourned  amid  great  dissatisfaction.  A 
number  of  delegates  departed  before  its  close,  while  others  re- 
fused to  allow  their  names  to  be  appended  to  the  records  as  a 
token  of  acquiescence. 

With  the  close  of  this  conference  an  ecclesiastical  despot- 
ism was  manifestly  inaugurated,  by  the  institution  of  an  in- 
quisition, which  has  continued  to  the  time  of  this  writing,  and 
the  severity  of  which  has  only  been  limited  by  the  protection 
aiforded  by  the  civil  law.  Immediately  after  the  conference, 
men,  who  had  ventured  to  criticise  the  "majority's"  unevan- 
gelical  course,  were  deposed  from  the  ministry  and  expelled 
from  the  church  by  strictly  partisan  tribunals.  The  official 
papers  now  being  under  the  control  of  bitter  partisans,  con 
tained  the  most  rancorous  attacks  upon  the  "Minority," 
but  when  the  latter  attempted  to  reply,  in  vindication  of  their 
position,  the  columns  of  the  paper  were  closed  against  them. 
This  made  the  establishment  of  another  medium  an  absolute 
necessity,  hence,  soon  after  the  General  Conference,  the  Evan- 
gelical Publishing  Company  M'as  established  and  incorporated 
at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  and  a  weekly  periodical  called  "The  Evan- 
gelical," was  issued,  the  first  number  bearing  date  of  Novem- 
ber 14,  1887 . 

At  the  sessions  of  the  annual  conferences  in  1888  diver- 
gent sentiments  became  openly  manifest,  the  position  of  the 
"majority"  being  endorsed  by  some,  while  by  a  number  of  "mi- 
nority" conferences  the  reverse  action  was  taken,  and  the  dele- 
gates to  said  General  Conference  who  refused  to  sign  its  pro- 
ceedings were  vindicated. 

In  1888  open  attacks  were  made  on  Bishop  Dubs  by  Bishop 
Bowman  and  others,  but  he  remained  silent,  under  all  their  as- 


568 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALH. 


saults,  although  he  knew  his  official  destruction  was  decreed  by 
them. 

In  1889  party  relations  became  more  strained  than  ever. 
The  attack  on  Bishop  Dubs  continued,  and  new  assailants  ap- 
peared on  the  scene.  Bishop  Esher  now  came  out  publicly 
against  him,  revived  all  his  old  charges  of  falsehood  and  slan- 
der, and  insinuated  that  he  had  never  retracted  them.  Bishop 
Dubs  was  now  forced  to  reply,  but  when  his  chief  article  of 
vindication  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  official  editors,  he 
too  found  the  church  organs  closed  against  him.  His  time  had 
come ;  he  was  marked  for  destruction. 

About  this  time  the  truly  Evangelical  portion  of  the  church 
was  shocked  by  the  publication  of  a  declaration  by  Bishop 
Esher,  confessing  that  he  had  deceived  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1883,  by  making  a  false  statement  before  that 
body  in  regard  to  his  relations  with  Bishop  Dubs.  Here  are 
his  own  words:  "/  ai  last  yielded,  against  my  own  knowledge 
and  conviction  {jnay  God  and  the  Church  pardon')  admitted  that 
clear  and  positive  untruth  might  be  a  matter  of  misunderstanding, 
and  on  the  following  morning  so  stated  in  the  General  Confer- 
ence." {Ev.  Messenger,  Feb.  11,  i8go.)  This  has  reference  to 
Esher's  retraction  of  the  charge  of  falsehood  against  Dubs, 
already  referred  to. 

Events  now  culminated  rapidly ;  we  can  only  touch  on  the 
leading  ones.  In  February,  1890,  Bishop  Dubs  was  cited  to 
appear  before  a  partisan  tribunal  in  Cleveland,  O.,  to  an- 
swer a  long  array  of  charges,  emanating  (as  was  held)  from 
EsHER,  and  in  which  his  son,  the  attorney,  again  appeared  as 
prosecutor,  as  he  had  been  against  Editor  Hartzler.  Bishop 
Bowman  and  Esher  bore  an  active  part  in  the  so-called  trial. 
The  only  penalty  this  court  could  inflict  was  a  suspension  from 
office  until  the  next  General  Conference,  This  verdict  Bishop 
Dubs  respected.  He  ceased  to  perform  the  functions  of  a 
minister,  removed  to  Chicago,  and  became  the  editor  of  the 
''Deutsche  Allgemeine  Zcitung,"  which,  like  The  Evangelical, 
championed  the  cause  of  the  "minority." 

In  March,  1890,  Bishops  Esher  and  Bowman  were  also  sus- 
pended for  moral  and  official  misconduct,  by  competent  tri- 
bunals, the  former  at  Reading,  Pa.,  and  the  latter  at  Chicago, 
111.  At  this  stage  of  affairs  a  shrewd  scheme  of  Esher  and  his 
adherents  came  to  light.    It  seems  that  both  he  and  Bowman 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


56» 


anticipated  that  disciplinary  action  would  be  instituted  against 
them,  and  this  they  determined  to  forestall  by  a  secret  mock  ex- 
amination of  themselves  by  three  of  their  personal  friends. 
This  so-called  examination  was  not  held  in  accordance  with 
the  provisions  of  the  Discipline,  and  was  a  secret  affair,  and 
when  active  proceedings  were  instituted  the  result  of  the  so- 
called  investigation  was  published  and  they  claimed  exemption 
from  any  further  trial.  They  repudiated  the  verdict  of  the 
committees,  mutually  exonerated  each  other  in  the  "official"' 
organs,  and  declared  "by  the  power  in  them  vested,"  that  all' 
their  accusers  and  all  who  had  participated  in  their  trials  had 
rebelled  against  the  order  and  authority  of  the  church,  and  had 
thereby  forfeited  their  membership.  This  embraced  sixty-three 
ministers,  many  of  them  among  the  leading  men  of  the  church. 

EsHER  and  Bowman  now  forced  the  disruption  of  the 
church.  While  under  charges,  Esher  appeared  at  the  sessioa 
of  the  Platte  River  Conference,  in  March,  1890,  to  preside. 
The  conference  refused  his  presidency,  because  he  was  under 
charges,  whereupon  he  declared  the  entire  conference  had 
"ceased  to  exist,"  and  later  he  and  Bowman,  "by  the  power 
in  them  vested,"  pretended  to  excind  the  conference  by  episco- 
pal edict.  In  April  Esher  appeared  before  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference to  preside.  He  was  then  under  suspension,  and  was 
refused  the  presidency,  when  he  retired,  with  about  one-third 
of  the  ministers,  to  another  church,  and  organized  a  rival  con- 
ference. Bowman,  in  March,  attempted  to  preside  at  the  Des 
Moines  Conference,  and  upon  being  refused,  retired  with  half 
a  dozen  members,  and  organized  a  rival  conference  in  a  hotel. 
On  May  2d,  he  appeared  at  the  session  of  the  Oregon  Confer- 
ence, but  was  denied  the  presidency,  whereupon  he  and  his  fol- 
lowers became  boisterous  and  disorderly  in  their  attempt  to 
gain  control  of  the  organization.  Bishop  Bowman  so  far  for- 
getting himself  as  to  become  quite  violent,  at  the  same  time 
saying,  "I  suspend  you  in  the  name  of  God."  The  confer- 
ence, however,  was  organized,  with  J.  Bowersox  as  president 
and  J.  L.  Hershner  as  secretary,  after  which  they  withdrew 
with  about  two-thirds  of  the  conference  to  a  near-by  Metho- 
dist church  which  was  offered  them  and  where  the  session  was 
held.  Bishop  Bowman,  of  course,  organized  a  rival  confer- 
ence with  his  adherents,  and  thus  completed  the  division  of 
the  church  on  the  Pacific  Coast.     They  did  not  attempt  to 


570 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


hold  the  Central  Pa.  and  Pittsburg  Conferences.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  East  Pennsylvania,  they  had  a  majority  of  ad- 
herents in  the  other  conferences,  and  presided. 

The  General  Coufereuces  of  1891. — In  the  proceed- 
ings of  1887,  the  reader  will  see  that  instead  of  appointing 
the  place  of  the  next  conference,  that  duty  was  delegated  to  the 
Board  of  Publication  in  violation  of  the  seventy-first  section  of 
the  Discipline,  which  provides  as  follows  :  "The  time  and  place 
of  the  General  Conference  shall  be  appointed  by  the  bishops, 
with  the  consent  of  the  majority  of  the  conference  ;  and  if  there 
be  no  bishop  present,  the  General  Conference  shall  do  it  by  a 
majority  of  votes,  or  the  oldest  annual  conference,  who  then 
shall  give  all  the  other  annual  conferences  due  notice  of  the 
time  and  place. " 

The  year  1891  was  indeed  eventful.  In  order  to  complete 
the  division.  Bowman  appeared  before  the  East  Pennsylvania, 
the  Central  and  the  Pittsburg  Conferences,  the  three  larger 
conferences  in  the  church.  Being  refused  the  presidency  in 
each  case,  he  attempted  to  force  a  division,  but  did  not  succeed, 
except  at  the  first-named  conference,  where  about  one-fourth  of 
the  ministers  went  with  him. 

The  Board  of  Publication  selected  Indianapolis,  Indiana, 
while  East  Pennsylvania  Conference,  in  conformity  with  the  Dis- 
cipline, appointed  Philadelphia  as  the  place  of  the  next  Gen- 
eral Conference,  consequently  the  conferences  known  as  the 
minority  elected  their  delegates  to  attend  the  Disciplinary  Con- 
ference, while  the  conferences  adhering  to  Esher  and  Bowman, 
with  one  exception,  instructed  to  attend  the  Indianapolis  Con- 
ference. 

The  rival  conferences  met  at  the  places  named  in  October, 
1891.  At  Indianapolis  the  unlawful  and  unchristian  conduct 
of  Bishops  Esher  and  Bowman  was  approved  and  vindicated, 
and  they  were  of  course  reelected  to  office.  All  the  arbitrary 
powers  they  had  assumed  were  legalized  and  all  the  undisciplin- 
ary  powers  which  Esher  had  for  many  years  arrogated  to  him- 
self and  against  which  the  true  Evangelical  Association  had 
earnestly  contended,  were  now  engrafted  on  the  so-called  Esher 
branch  of  the  church.  This  system  of  centralized  power,  which 
is  wholly  foreign  to  the  genius  of  the  church,  constituted  what 
was  then  commonly  denominated  "  Esherism." 

The  Philadelphia  Conference  removed  the  suspension  from 


TEE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  571 


Bishop  Dubs  and  reelected  him  to  the  office  of  bishop  and  C. 
S.  Haman,  of  the  East  Pennsylvania,  and  W.  M.  Stanford,  of 
the  Pittsburg  Conference,  were  newly  elected  to  this  office. 
The  suspension  of  Esher  and  Bowman  was  confirmed,  and  they 
were  deposed  from  the  ministry  and  expelled  from  the  church. 
Both  conferences  elected  a  full  complement  of  officials  for  the 
various  offices  of  the  church. 

The  division  was  now  fully  established.  About  two-fifths 
of  the  members  of  the  church  adhered  to  the  Philadelphia  Con- 
ference, and  constituted  what  was  called  the  minority. 

Responsibility  for  the  Division. — With  one  voice  the 
minority  declare  J.  J.  Esher  to  be  the  cause  of  the  division 
of  the  church.  This  conclusion  is  based  on  a  number  of  facts 
that  have  long  been  the  subject  of  general  comment.  The 
minority  claim,  for  example,  that  in  the  administration  of  his 
office,  the  bishop  had  discriminated  in  various  ways  against 
some  of  the  annual  conferences  in  which  his  episcopal  will 
could  not  have  free  course.  They  assert  that  they  were  made 
to  see  and  feel,  more  and  more,  that  in  thought  and  feeling 
and  purpose  the  bishop  was  antagonistic  and  alien  to  the  spirit 
and  life  of  these  conferences.  They  believed  themselves  to  be 
designedly  slighted  and  depreciated,  to  the  advantage  of  an 
element  in  the  church  which  was  more  subservient  to  his  will 
than  they. 

During  the  General  Conference  of  1887,  he  was  entreated 
by  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  honored  ministers  of  the  church 
to  step  into  the  breach  and  heal  the  disaffection,  because  he 
alone  was  able  to  do  it.  This  entreaty  he  spurned.  In  1889 
he  personally  supervised  a  secret  movement  among  the  laymen 
of  the  Illinois  Conference  to  reject  and  withhold  support  from 
dissenting  ministers. 

In  the  Spring  of  1890,  a  movement  was  made  by  Dr.  H.  K. 
Carroll,  Religious  Editor  of  the  IVew  York  Independent,  and 
seconded  by  some  of  the  most  influential  men  of  various  de- 
nominations, looking  towards  an  adjustment  of  the  difficulties. 
To  this  proposal  the  minority  gave  their  hearty  assent.  A  peti- 
tion to  this  effect,  signed  by  441  minority  ministers,  was  pub- 
lished in  the  columns  of  the  Independent.  The  whole  scheme, 
however,  failed,  because  of  the  irreconcilability  of  Esher, 
who  loudly  protested,  in  the  official  organs,  against  reconcilia- 


572 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


tion.  He  declared  that  ^ '  compromise  is  unthinkable.  We  have 
nothing  io  arbitrate."  At  the  Philadelphia  convention  of  lay- 
men, direct  communication  was  opened  with  a  similar  body  at 
the  Indianapolis  Conference,  with  the  same  end  in  view,  which 
also  failed,  as  is  held,  by  the  direct  intervention  of  Esher. 

The  True  Evangelical  Association. — Reference  should 
here  be  made  to  Bishop  Bowman's  attempt  to  show  that  the 
difficulties,  which  culminated  in  disruption,  arose  in  the  oppo- 
sition of  the  so-called  minority  to  the  doctrine  of  holiness  as 
held  by  the  church.  Perhaps  the  strongest  argument  to  refute 
the  illy  disguised  assumptions  of  Bowman  will  be  found  in  the 
organs  of  the  church.  An  examination  of  all  the  volumes  of 
The  Living  Epistle,  the  holiness  organ  of  the  church,  reveals 
the  fact,  that  of  all  the  living  contributors  to  that  magazine 
while  it  was  a  distinctively  holiness  periodical  (1869-1875), 
about  two-thirds  cast  their  lot  on  the  side  of  the  minority. 
During  the  period  when  the  discussion  of  that  phase  of  doctrine 
was  at  its  height  in  the  church.  Bishop  Bowman  does  not  ap- 
pear as  a  contributor  of  the  magazine,  while  Bishop  Dubs  ap- 
pears prominently,  as  also  such  minority  leaders  as  Rev.  S.  L. 
WiEST,  who  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  this  maga- 
zine ;  Dr.  H.  B.  Hartzler,  who  for  a  number  of  years  has 
been  an  esteemed  co-worker  with  Evangelist  DwightL.  Moody; 
Rev.  D.  B.  BvERS,  one  of  the  minority  leaders  in  Illinois  j  Rev. 
J.  M.  Ettinger,  for  some  years  the  editor  of  The  Evangelical, 
and  others  of  recognized  prominence. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  minority  claim  to  represent  the  true 
spirit  and  genius  of  the  church.  Their  strongest  claim  to  this 
distinction  is  their  steady  opposition  to  the  encroachment  of 
ail  ecclesiastical  hierarchy  foreign  to  its  original  genius,  and  a 
strict  adherence  to  the  Discipline.  In  addition  to  this,  it  is  a 
significant  fact  that  the  original  people  and  territory  adhere  to 
the  minority. 

In  1 89 1  it  was  ascertained  by  the  author  that  all  the  old 
appointments  established  by  the  founders  of  the  church,  and 
which  are  still  maintained,  are  on  the  side  of  the  minority.  By 
a  careful  canvass  he  also  ascertained  that  there  were  still  living 
thirty-one  ministers  of  the  church  who  entered  the  ministry 
prior  to  Esher  (1845),  of  these,  eighteen  were  pronounced  op- 
ponents of  EsHKR,  and  of  the  remaining  thirteen,  a  number 
were  confessedly  neutral.    One  of  the  opponents  of  Esher  was 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  573 


the  oldest  minister  of  the  church,  Joseph  M.  Saylor,  who 
entered  the  work  in  1824,  and  who  declared  to  the  last  moment 
of  his  life  that  Esher  had  "split"  the  church. 


CHAPTER  II. 


A  Summary  History  of  the  Minority  Conferences, 
1888-1898. 

1888.  East  Pa.  Conference  convened  Feb.  23  in  Norris- 
town,  Pa.  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  W.  A.  Leopold,  secre- 
tary. The  following  were  licensed  to  preach  :  J.  A.  Weidel, 
F.  Becker,  C.  L.  Oswald,  R.  T.  Lenhart,  G.  A.  Marquart, 
A.  L.  Erisman,  p.  Gruver  and  S.  K.  Huebner.  Ordained  as 
Elders — I.  U.  Royer,  A.  H.  Snyder  and  J.  P.  Miller.  Dea- 
cons— G.  A.  Knerr,  C.  C.  Speicher  and  J.  D.  Acker.  W.  E. 
Waltz,  missionary  in  Japan,  was  voted  elder's  orders.  B.  J. 
Smoyer  and  A.  M.  Stirk  were  reelected,  and  S.  S.  Chubb  newly 
elected  to  the  office  of  presiding  elder.  S.  L.  Wiest,  former 
corresponding  secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society,  was  again  re- 
ceived, and  J.  C.  HoRNBERGER  and  S.  O.  McCurdy  were  granted 
credentials.  Rev.  J.  Hartzler  and  Mrs.  Dr.  F.  Krecker,  re- 
turned missionaries  from  Japan,  addressed  the  conference. 

1888.  Central  Pa.  Conference  met  in  Lewisburg,  Pa., 
March  i,  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  A.  Stapleton,  secretary. 
Licensed  to  preach — J.  W.  Thompson,  L.  S.  Reichard,  A. 
Rearick,  W.  C.  Bierly,  Charles  Frey,  W.  M.  Morris,  J.  W. 
Smith,  Elmer  S.  Kessler,  Harry  Minsker,  Ira  E.  Spangler, 
S.  S.  Mumey,  J.  L.  Davis  and  T.  L.  Frymyer.  Deacon's  orders 
were  voted  G.  B.  Galligher,  J.  Womeldorf,  C.  J.  Dick  and 
J.  Lauber.  Elder's  orders  were  granted  M.  J.  Snyder.  G.  H. 
Schleh  was  deposed.  C.  F.  Gephart  and  E.  O.  Goodling 
withdrew.  J.  H.  Peters  was  granted  credentials  to  the  Platte 
River  Conference.  H.  B.  Hartzler,  D.  D.,  formerly  editor 
of  the  Ev.  Messenger-,  and  member  of  the  Ohio  Conference, 
was  again  received  int®  this  conference.  J.  M.  Ettinger  was 
reelected  and  Jacob  Hartzler  newly  elected  to  the  office  of 

574 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  ' 


presiding  elder.  Prof.  G.  E.  Holtzapfel,  a  local  preacher^ 
was  received  from  the  East  Pa.  Conference. 

1888.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  April  19. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president;  J.  W.  Domer,  secretary.  A.  L. 
BuRKiTT  was  licensed  to  preach.  Elder's  orders  were  granted 
to  A.  B.  Dat  and  A.  W.  Brickley  ;  Deacon's  orders  to  A.  J. 
Beale,  C.  E.  McCauley  and  J.  L.  Mull.  Died — J.  Dick,  G. 
W.  Risinger  and  J.  Pfeifer,  J.  M.  DeWoody  (local)  of  the 
M.  E.  Church,  and  D.  F.  Platt,  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  were 
received.  W.  B.  Shaffer  and  L.  D.  Drake  withdrew.  B.  L. 
Miller,  F.  J.  Strayer,  L.  Scobert  and  T.  G.  Clewell  were 
granted  credentials.  L.  H.  Hetrick  was  deposed.  F.  P. 
Savlor  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  T.  Bach  was 
newly  elected  and  D.  P.  K.  Lavan  and  J.  D.  Domer  were  re- 
elected to  the  same. 

1888.  Illinois  Conference,  Elgin,  111.,  April  12.  Bishop 
Bowman,  president ;  George  Vetter,  German,  and  S.  F.  En- 
TORF,  English,  secretaries.  Licensed  to  preach — C.  F.  Essig,  G. 
FiDDER,  J.  F.  DuNLAP,  A.  E.  FuESSELE,  F.  Stevens,  and  C. 
Unangst.  Elders  order's  were  granted  to  D.  F.  Fox,  W.  A. 
Shultz,  W.  L.  Walker  and  J.  W.  Eager.  Deacon's  orders — 
J.  Alber,  J.  H.  Keagel,  D.  W.  Kerr,  C.  F.  Kiest,  J.  J.  Klopp, 
H.  Pope  and  J.  Stengel.  Died — J.  F.  Schnee,  T.  Hamilton, 
M.  Heyle  and  J.  W.  Himmel.  J.  Schneider,  W.  Huelster, 
H.  Messner  and  A.  Fuessele  were  reelected  presiding  elders. 
Thomas  W.  Woodside,  a  member  of  the  conference  under  ap- 
pointment 2t6  missionary  to  Africa,  took  leave  of  his  conference 
in  a  touching  address.  He  was  retained  on  the  roll  of  the  con- 
ference. 

1888.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  April 
5.  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  B.  H.  Niebel,  secretary.  M.  A. 
Evans,  Charles  Pickford,  A.  L.  Golden  and  A.  L.  Rucker 
were  licensed  to  preach.  Deacon's  orders  were  granted  to  F.  A. 
Gossman.  Credentials  were  granted  O.  Long,  F.  S.  Locks 
and  F.  Methfessel.  H.  Kletzing  and  E.  C.  Wallace  died 
during  the  year. 

1888.  Platte  River  Conference,  Shiloh  Church,  near  Kene- 
saw,  Neb.,  March  8.  Bishop  J.  J.  Esher,  president ;  T.  W.  Serf, 
secretary.  Licensed  to  preach — M.  L.  Maize,  F.  Brookhart, 
G.  S.  Smith,  M.  B.  Young,  L.  A.  Kinsey  and  W.  S.  Larmon. 
P.  H.  Hines  was  granted  deacon's  orders.     Jonas  Strohm 


:576 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


•{a.  former  itinerant  of  the  Ohio  Conference),  died.  J.  H. 
Peters,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  was  received.  The 
■conference  was  divided  into  two  presiding  elder  districts.  C. 
W.  Anthony  and  A.  W.  Shenberger  were  elected  presiding 
«lders. 

1888.  Oregon  Conference,  East  Portland,  Ore.,  May  4. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary.  A.  M. 
Mell  and  F.  W.  Parker  were  licensed  to  preach.  J.  M.  Beau- 
champ  and  H.  L.  Pratt  were  granted  deacon's  orders.  I.  B. 
Fisher  and  F.  L.  Locke  were  received  from  other  conferences, 
and  G.  F.  Burnett,  M.  R.  Shaver  and  J.  A.  Ray  received 
"from  other  churches.  C.  J.  Miller  and  A.  Schlenk  were 
granted  credentials.  C.  C.  Poling  was  newly  elected  and  J. 
Bowersox  reelected  presiding  elders. 

Notes. — The  dissensions  of  the  church  became  painfully 
manifest  this  year.  At  a  number  of  the  conferences  resolutions 
were  adopted  condemning  the  publication  and  circulation  of 
the  newly  published  Evangelical.  Ministers  were  prohibited 
under  penalty  from  taking  subscriptions  for  it,  and  in  one  in- 
stance the  support  of  an  aged  superannuated  preacher  was 
cut  off  for  circulating  it,  namely.  Father  A.  Loehner,  of  the 
Ohio  Conference.  Vigorous  attacks  were  made  in  the  official 
papers  upon  many  prominent  men  on  the  minority  side,  who 
were  denied  their  disciplinary  right  to  reply  to  the  attacks  in 
those  papers. 

The  Bruder  Bund  Exposure. — At  the  General  Conference 
of  1887  it  was  discovered  that  a  secret,  oath-bound  compact  ex- 
isted among  some  of  the  leading  men  of  the  church  for  the 
mutual  furtherance  of  their  selfish  ends.  Its  existence,  how- 
ever, was  strenuously  denied  by  the  majority  side.  This  de- 
nial was  far  from  conclusive,  as  in  April  of  this  year  the  con- 
•stitution  of  such  a  "bund  "  existing  between  several  members 
of  the  Japan  Mission  was  published  in  the  Evangelical,  one  of 
the  ministers  declaring  that  he  had  been  a  member  of  the  com- 
pact. In  the  California  Conference  another  minister  made  a 
similar  confession  and  laid  before  the  conference  a  copy  of  the 
constitution,  as  follows  :  * 

Compact  between  •  ♦  »  *  and  •  *  *  *  wherein  the  under- 
signed in  the  name  of  God,  and  upon  their  honor  and  fidelity,  form  a  com- 


*  We  omit  the  names. 


THF.  UNITED  EVANOELICAL  CHURCH. 


nm 


pact  on  the  following  points  :  (i)  Daily  to  pray  and  love  each  other.  (2)  To 
be  helpful  to  each  other.  (3)  To  show  to  each  other  the  deepest  and  most  inti- 
mate familiarity  and  attachment  under  all  circumstances  of  life,  the  marriage 
relation  excepted.  (4)  In  particular  to  communicate  to  each  other  everything, 
especially  all  slanderous  reports  that  may  be  put  into  circulation,  and  when  it 
may  be  necessary,  to  defend  each  other  with  the  utmost  decision,  even  if  we 
make  enemies  thereby.  (5)  To  no  human  being  shall  our  compact  be  com- 
municated, nor  shall  anybody  know  anything  about  it,  except  our  wives.  (6) 
If  all  our  friends  should  forsake  us,  yet  will  we,  in  spite  of  friend  and  foe,  hold 
firmly  and  decidedly  together.  (7)  Only  by  mutual  agreement  can  the  above 
points  be  changed,  or  any  other  persons  be  received  into  this  Bund. 

The  exposure  of  these  secret  compacts  created  great  excite- 
ment and  distrust  throughout  the  church.  The  pernicious  char- 
acter of  the  "Bund"  was  ably  and  fearlessly  exposed  in  the 
Evangelical,  and  no  doubt  its  power  for  evil  was  thus  curtailed, 
as  in  a  few  years  the  fears  and  discussions  occasioned  by  the 
disclosures  subsided. 

1889.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Pottsville,  Pa.,  Feb.  28. 
Bishop  T.  Bowman,  president  ;  W.  A.  Leopold,  secretary. 
Licensed  to  preach — H.  W.  Behney,  B.  F.  Egner,  J.  H. 
Smith,  J.  S.  Heisler,  A.  H.  Martin,  E.  Wolf,  G.  W.  Han- 
gen,  C.  W.  Heffner,  a.  M.  Sweigert,  W.  H.  Hartzler  and 
J.  G.  BouGHTER.  Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  T.  L.  Wentz, 
A.  E.  Williams,  B.  C.  Krupp,  J.  M.  Shoop,  A.  G.  Brunner 
and  W.  W.  Yost.  Deacon's  orders — D.  S.  Manning,  J.  B. 
EsENWEiN  and  C.  E.  Hess,  also  Mikuna  Uyeno,  of  Japan.  D. 
A.  Medlar  was  newly  elected  presiding  elder.  Died — F. 
Krecker,  Dec.  27,  1888,  aged  72  y. ;  H.  Stoetzel,  Jan.  27, 
1889,  aged  80  y. ;  D.  Wieand,  Feb.  21,  aged  74  y.  J.  Frey,  H. 
R.  Yost  and  U.  H.  Hershey.  D.  A.  Medlar  was  newly  elected 
presiding  elder. 

1889.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Williamsport,  Pa.,  March 
7.  J.  J.  EsHER,  president ;  A.  Stapleton,  secretary.  Li- 
censed to  preach — E.  B.  Bailey,  W.  E.  Brillhart,  W.  Simp- 
son, D.  A.  Artman  and  J.  P.  Buchner.  Elder's  orders  were 
granted  to  C.  V.  B.  Aurand,  M.  I.  Jamison,  C.  L.  Sones,  C. 
D.  Moore  and  Jazo  Takano,  of  Japan.  Deacons'  orders — 
D.  M.  Metzger.  E.  S.  Bollinger  took  credentials  for  the 
Oregon  Conference.  S.  M.  Mountz  withdrew.  S.  E.  Davis, 
a  former  member,  was  received  from  the  Oregon  Conference. 
Died — C.  F.  Deininger,  itinerant,  and  J.  C.  Mergenthaler 
and  George  Gohn,  local  preachers. 


578 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Note. — Rev.  C.  F.  Deininger,  died  July  17,  188S,  aged  62 
years.  He  entered  the  ministry  in  1850.  He  was  sent  ia  1864 
as  the  first  missionary  of  the  church  to  the  Pacific  Coast.  Re- 
maining there  a  number  of  years,  he  returned  to  his  confer- 
ence, and  was  elected  presiding  elder,  and  served  Carlisle  and 
York  District.  He  was  pastor  of  the  Bethlehem  congregation, 
York,  Pa.,  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

1889.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Brookville,  Pa.,  March  21. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  W.  Domer,  secretary.  Licensed 
to  preach — H.  Cook,  W.  Sorber,  A.  A.  Mohnev,  F.  W.  Ware, 
H.  RoBB,  W.  S.  Jenkins  and  J.  H.  Booser.  Elder's  orders 
were  granted  C.  F.  Floto,  C.  D.  Slagel,  J.  H.  Shimp  and  J. 
Smith.  Deacon's  orders — W.  W.  Elrick,  G.  M.  Alshouse, 
J.  M.  Weaver,  E.  C.  Rickenbrodt,  E.  W.  Rishel  and  P. 
Berkev.  S.  S.  Condo  was  received  from  the  Ohio  Confer- 
ence.   I.  A.  RoHLAND  was  reelected  presiding  elder. 

1889.  Illinois  Conference,  Barrington,  111.,  April  11. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president ;  M.  Stamm,  German,  and  S.  F. 
Entorf  English  secretaries.  Licensed  to  preach — L.  A.  Town- 
send  and  Yendo  Chotaro,  of  Japan.  J.  Divan,  H.  H. 
Thoren,  H.  Moser,  C.  Vaubel  and  G.  Barth  were  ordained 
elders,  and  C.  N.  Dubs,  W.  Forkel,  E.  W.  Huelster  and  F. 
W.  Landwer  were  ordained  deacons.  C.  N.  Dubs,  of  the 
Erie  Conference,  was  received.  Credentials  were  granted  W. 
T.  Frey.    Died — -Jacob  Shaefele. 

1889.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Afton,  Iowa,  March  28, 
R.  Dubs,  president;  B.  H.  Niebel,  secretary.  Licensed  to 
preach — E.  Hawn,  D.  W.  Rose,  G.  Bancroft,  M.  A.  Shel- 
don, J.  B.  Edie  and  G.  L.  Kolb.  Elder's  orders  were  granted 
L.  Staufacher,  N.  Day,  and  N.  B.  Niebel.  Deacon's  orders — 
C.  Lang,  L.  A.  Jones,  M.  A.  Evans,  J.  W.  McCurdy,  and 
George  McNealy.  O.  Long  was  received.  J.  Auracher  and 
B.  H.  Niebel  were  elected  presiding  elders. 

1889.  Platte  River  Conference,  Lexington,  Neb.,  March 
15.  T.  Bowman,  president;  T.  W.  Serf,  secretary.  Hon.  J. 
Whitehead  and  F.  Mason  were  licensed  to  preach.  S.  B. 
Dillow,  J.  W.  Nye  and  L.  G.  Brooker  were  ordained  elders, 
and  J.  P.  Ash  and  R.  F.  Myers  deacons.  J.  Richards  and 
S.  B.  Anderson  withdrew. 

1889.  Oregon  Conference,  Corvalis,  Ore.,  May  2.  J.  J. 
Esher,  president ;  J.  L.  Hershner,  secretary  ;  T.  T.  Vincent 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


579 


and  G.  McElroy  were  licensed  to  preach.  E.  S.  Bollinger 
and  F.  S.  Locke  were  granted  elder's  orders.  F.  W.  Parker 
withdrew.  Credentials  were  granted  S.  E.  Davis  to  the  Central 
Pa.  Conference  and  A.  Ernest  was  received,  also  M.  Bur- 
LINGAME,  from  the  M.  E.  Church. 

Notes. — The  controversies  of  the  two  opposing  elements 
of  the  church  assumed  a  very  serious  form  during  this  year. 
December  ii,  1888,  Bishop  Esher  published  a  proclamation 
in  the  official  organs  of  the  church  in  which  the  Minority  peo- 
ple were  charged  as  being  "the  instigators  and  promoters  of  a 
movement"  which  he  designated  as  being  "from  below," 
"Seditious,"  "a  work  of  the  evil  one,"  "a  crime  against  the 
body  of  Christ."  This  publication  gave  most  serious  offense, 
and  nearly  all  the  Minority  conferences  at  their  following  ses- 
sions passed  resolutions  deploring  its  intemperate  language,  de- 
nying, as  untrue,  its  insinuations,  and  disclaiming  any  inten- 
tion on  the  part  of  the  minority  to  oppose  the  authority  of  the 
church,  if  administered  in  accordance  with  the  Discipline.  In 
the  same  periodical  of  May  21,  1889,  Bishop  Bowman  added 
fresh  fuel  to  the  fire  by  the  publication  of  an  article  entitled, 
"The  Issue  Made  Up,"  in  which  he  clearly  foreshadowed  the 
division  of  the  church.  Personal  attacks  were  also  made  ^n 
the  official  organs  on  Bishop  R.  Dubs,  by  his  colleagues  Esher 
and  Bowman,  also  by  M.  Pfitzinger  and  E.  B.  Esher,  son  of 
the  Bishop.  It  was  quite  manifest  from  these  communications, 
that  their  object  was  the  overthrow  of  Bishop  Dubs,  who  was 
regarded  as  siding  with  the  minority,  although  he  had  hitherto 
maintained  a  discreet  silence.  Bishop  Dubs  replied  to  these 
attacks  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,  but  was  eventually  barred 
from  the  church  papers  as  a  means  of  self-defense. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year  an  ably  written  pamphlet  on  the 
trial  of  Dr.  H.  B.  Hartzler,  by  Rev.  W.  F.  Heil,  was  pub- 
lished by  the  Evangelical  Publishing  Co.  The  issue  of  this 
work  gave  the  laity  of  the  church  an  opportunity  to  learn  for 
themselves  something  of  the  utterly  corrupt  methods  by  which 
Dr.  Hartzler's  enemies  sought  his  overthrow. 

1890.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Shamokin,  Pa.  Feb.  27. 
J.  J.  Esher,  president;  W.  A.  Leopold,  secretary.  J.  L. 
Painter,  S.  P.  Fry,  H.  D.  Kreidler,  H.  H.  Smith,  S.  P. 
Erisman,  G.  W.  Imboden,  W.  E.  Frederick,  H.  F.  Schlegel. 
T.  Knecht  and  J.  E.  Steele  were  licensed  to  preach.  Elder's, 


580 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


orders  were  granted  to  G.  A.  Knerr,  H.  Dutill  and  H.  A. 
Smith.  Deacon's  orders  to  E.  Romig,  W.  S.  Harris  and 
A.  S.  Kresge.  Superannuated — C.  H.  Baker,  N.  Gabel,  C. 
GiNGERicH,  J.  K.  Knerr,  J.  M.  Saylor,  J.  O.  Lehr,  A. 
ZiNGENFUss,  T.  Harper,  F.  Hoffman,  A.  Dilabar  and  I. 
Hess.  Died  during  the  year — A.  F.  Leopold,  F.  W.  G.  Becker, 
E.  Shultz  and  W.  Rodgers.  W.  F.  Heil  was  newly  elected 
and  C.  S.  Haman  reelected  presiding  elder.  T.  A.  Hess  was 
granted  credentials. 

1890.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  York,  Pa.,  March  6.  M. 
J.  Carothers,  president ;  A.  Stapleton,  secretary.  C.  W. 
Siegfried  amd  W.  J.  Campbell  were  licensed  to  preach.  Elder's 
orders  were  voted  J.  Womeldorf,  C.  J.  Dick,  E.  W.  Koontz 
and  W.  MiNSKER.  Deacon's  orders  to  G.  L.  Maice,  H.  W. 
Freed  and  B.  Crailev.  J.  H.  Irvine  and  F.  S.  Vought  with- 
drew. W,  L.  Beaumont  took  credentials  for  the  Oregon  Con- 
ference. P.  W.  Raidabaugh,  a  former  member  of  the  confer- 
ence, was  received  from  the  Ohio  Conference.  J.  M.  Brader 
died  at  Warrensville,  Pa.,  December  25,  1889,  in  the  50th  year 
of  his  age,  P.  S.  Orwig,  superannuated,  died  at  York,  Pa., 
Jan.  7,  1890,  aged  43  years. 

At  this  session  the  "Educational  Aid  Society,  of  the  Cen- 
tral Pa.  Conference,"  was  formed,  for  the  purpose  of  affording 
financial  assistance  to  indigent  ministerial  students  who  con- 
template entering  the  work  of  this  conference. 

1890.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Greensburgh,  Ohio,  March 
13.  J.  D.  DoMER,  president;  J.  W.  Domer,  secretary.  L.  S. 
Wilkinson,  P.  D.  Steelsmith,  J.  Schweisberger,  G.  W. 
Ringer,  G.  K.  Allen  and  E.  W.  Smith  were  licensed  to 
preach.  Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  E.  J.  Beale,  J.  L. 
Mull  and  C.  E.  McCaulev.  Deacon's  orders  to  A.  L.  Bur- 
kett  and  J.  Swartz.  T.  B.  Cobun  was  received.  M.  J.  Bal- 
entvne  and  F.  J.  Straver  took  credentials  for  the  Oregon 
Conference. 

The  conference  perfected  an  agreement  with  the  Central  Pa. 
Conference  for  an  interest  in  Central  Pennsylvania  College. 
J.  H.  Spotts  and  L.  B.  Dunmyer  died  during  the  year,  the 
latter  in  Aurora,  Oregon,  Dec.  16,  1889,  aged  67  years. 

1890.  Illinois  Conference,  Sheffield  Avenue  church,  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  April  10.  D.  B.  Byers,  president;  M.  Stamm  and 
S.  F.  Entorf,  secretaries.     Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  F. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  581 


C.  KiEST,  J.  H.  Keagel,  D.  W.  Kerr  and  J.  Stengel.  Dea- 
con's orders  to  H.  L.  Beightol,  J.  Michaels  and  J.  G.  Fidder. 
R.  Dubs,  Jr.,  was  received  from  the  Erie  Conference.  J.  Meyer, 
and  J.  T.  Haverfield  withdrew.  A.  Rohrback,  Samuel  To- 
bias, S.  Strassberger,  S.  Rickert  and  George  Mover  died 
during  the  year.  D.  B.  Byers,  F.  Busse  and  S.  F.  Entorf 
were  elected  presiding  elders. 

1890.  DesMoines  Conference,  DesMoines,  Iowa,  April  3. 
E.  B.  Utt,  president ;  S.  A.  Walton,  secretary.  License  was 
granted  to  C.  J.  W.  Triem,  S.  H.  Streyffeler  and  M.  A. 
Sheldon.  Deacon's  orders  were  granted  to  C.  E.  Sheldon,  G. 
L.  Kolb,  a.  W.  Mell,  G.  F.  Kellev,  Charles  Pickford  and 
G.  W.  McCracken.  W.  W.  Shuler  and  J.  H.  Keagel,  of  the 
Illinois  Conference,  were  received. 

1890.  Platte  River  Conference,  Beaver  Crossing,  Neb., 
March  13.  E.  L.  Kiplinger,  president;  J.  H.  Peters,  secre- 
tary. W.  M.  Shank,  R.  M.  Patterson  and  W.  Kraemer  were 
licensed  to  preach.  Elder's  orders  were  voted  to  P.  H.  Hines 
and  J.  J.  Klopp.  Deacon's  orders  to  G.  S.  Smith,  M.  T. 
Maize  and  S.  W.  Patterson.  J.  J.  Klopp,  of  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference, and  S.  W.  Patterson,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
were  received.     B.  F.  Myer  took  credentials. 

1890.  Oregon  Conference,  Albany,  Ore.,  May  2.  J. 
Bowersox,  president ;  J.  L.  Hershner,  secretary.  D.  V.  Pol- 
ing and  O.  S.  Haines  were  licensed  to  preach.  W.  C.  Kant- 
NER,  of  the  East  Pa.,  W.  L.  Beaumont,  of  Central,  and  M.  J. 
Balentyne  and  F.  J.  Strayer,  of  the  Pittsburg  Conference, 
were  received.  Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  H.  L.  Pratt 
and  J.  M.  Beauchamp. 

Notes. — The  factional  difficulties  of  the  church  culminated 
this  year  in  the  deplorable  disruption  of  a  number  of  confer- 
ences and  the  institution  of  litigation,  which  did  not  cease 
until  the  law  was  appealed  to  over  sixty  times,  on  the  part  of 
the  majority.  Not  only  was  the  majority  side  responsible  for 
the  division  of  conferences,  but  also  for  the  commencement  of 
litigation.  In  October,  1889,  E.  B.  Esher,  son  of  Bishop 
Esher  and  son-in-law  of  Bishop  Bowman,  began  a  libel  suit 
in  the  U.  S.  Court  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  against  the  editor  and 
publisher  of  The  Evangelical  and  the  Evangelical  Publishing 
Co.,  claiming  fifty  thousand  dollars  damages.  Vigorous  prep- 
arations for  defense  were  made,  but  the  case  never  came  to  a 


582 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNATE. 


hearing,  as  Esher  suffered  a  non-suit,  April  14,  1890,  by  non 
appearance.  The  second  legal  action  was  instituted  by  the 
majority  in  Illinois,  in  April,  1890,  for  the  possession  of  the 
conference  records.  Soon  after  the  division  of  the  Illinois 
Conference,  in  consequence  of  ministers  of  both  factions  being 
appointed  to  the  same  charges,  many  actions  at  law  were  begun 
for  the  possession  of  the  pulpits,  and  with  few  exceptions,  by 
the  majority  people.  Civil  proceedings  were  also  instituted  in 
several  other  states,  with  varying  success  to  both  sides. 

The  most  notable  civil  action  was  that  of  the  minority 
people  against  the  publishing  house  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  to  re- 
strain the  officials  from  withholding  missionary  money,  divi- 
dends, etc.  This  case  was  decided  by  Judge  Hamilton  in  favor 
of  the  contestants  in  October. 

With  few  exceptions  the  press,  both  civil  and  religious,  was 
vehement  in  its  denunciation  of  the  treatment  the  minority  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  the  dominant  faction.  As  an  example  of 
publicsentimentwe  giveabrief  extractfrom  the  Cleveland  Leader, 
a  leading  western  paper,  on  the  action  against  Bishop  Dubs  : 

To  the  lay  mind  it  looks  as  if  the  trial  and  conviction  of  Bishop  Ru- 
dolph Dubs,  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  in  this  city,  last  week,  was  about 
as  gross  an  outrage  as  an  ecclesiastical  court  could  be  guilty  of.  The  packed 
committee  of  trial,  the  star  chamber  proceedings,  the  denials  to  the  accused  of 
the  ordinary  privileges  allowed  to  defendants  in  all  civil  courts,  the  introduction 
of  hearsay  testimony,  the  latitude  allowed  for  vile  and  wholly  unsupported  in- 
sinuations and  the  manifest  malice  of  the  prosecution  and  trial  committee 
carry  the  mind  back  to  the  times  of  Bloody  Mary,  and  the  persecution  of  Bishop 
Cranmer.  From  a  legal  standpoint  the  evidence  against  Bishop  DUBS  was 
absolutely  worthless,  and  would  never  have  been  entertained  in  even  a  justice's 
court.  The  learned  and  respected  divine  who  is  the  victim  of  this  travesty,  on 
ecclesiastical  jurisprudence  could  probably  establish  a  case  of  criminal  libel 
against  his  persecutors,  were  he  so  disposed.  It  is  likely,  however,  that  he  will 
prefer  to  await  the  vindication  that  can  hardly  fail  to  come  from  the  General 
Conference  of  his  church.    It  is  inconceivable  that  the  verdict  will  be  sustained. 

1891.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Allentown,  Pa.,  Feb.  26. 
H.  A.  Neitz,  president  pro  iem.;  C.  S.  Haman,  permanent 
president ;  J.  H.  Shirev,  secretary.  E.  H.  Kistler,  J.  A. 
Sellers,  E.  L.  Watts,  A.  W.  Brownmiller,  H.  P.  Walter 
and  F.  Smith  were  licensed  to  preach.  Elder's  orders  were 
granted  to  J.  B.  Esenwein,  S.  Buntz,  C.  E.  Hess  and  J.  D. 
Acker.    Deacon's  orders  to  C.  L.  Oswald,  J.  G.  Boughter, 

G.  W.  Marquardt,  D.  F.  Kostenbader,  A.  L.  Erisman,  W. 

H.  Hartzler  and  H.  W.  Behney.  H.  W.  Hartman,  local 
;)reacher,  was  received  from  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  also 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CEJJRCH.  583 

J.  W.  Cline,  a  deacon  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  A.  Dilabar  and 
R.  T.  Lenhart  died.  Father  J.  M.  Saylor,  the  oldest  minister 
of  the  church,  both  in  years  of  life  and  of  service,  delivered  an 
encouraging  address. 

1891  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Berwick,  Pa.,  March  5. 
W.  E.  Detweiler,  president ;  A.  Stapleton,  secretary.  M.  T. 
Crouch,  D.  L.  Kepner,  J.  H.  Ferner,  H.  Bender,  I.  N. 
Bear,  D.  P.  Shaeffer,  W.  Horn,  E.  E.  Shaffer  and  U.  S. 
Clark  were  licensed  to  preach.  Deacon's  orders  were  granted 
L.  S.  Reichard,  J.  P.  Buchner,  S.  E.  Koontz,  W.  C.  Bierley, 

E.  L.  Kessler,  C.  F.  Garrett,  H.  B.  Barshinger,  W.  E. 
Brillhart,  J.  W.  Thompson,  S.  S.  Mumey  and  J.  F.  Dunlap. 
Elder's  orders,  D.  M.  Metzger.  J.  L.  Miller  was  deposed 
from  the  ministry  and  expelled  from  the  church.  J.  M.  Ettin- 
ger,  because  of  failing  health,  resigned  the  office  of  presiding 
elder.  W.  E.  Detweiler  and  A.  H.  Irvine  were  elected  and 
H.  W.  Buck  and  M.  J.  Carothers  reelected  presiding  elders. 

F.  W.  Raidabaugh  took  a  letter  of  dismissal.  Father  Elias 
Stambach  died  July  13,  1890,  aged  69  years.  T.  M.  Morris 
died  May  11,  1890,  aged  52  years. 

1891.  DesMoines  Conference,  Lisbon,  Iowa,  April  2. 
D.  H.  KooKER,  president ;  S.  A.  Walton,  secretary.  R.  C. 
Pippin,  J.  Percy,  J.  J.  Borrows,  L.  Sturgis  and  M.  W. 
Schraffer  were  licensed  to  preach.  J.  R.  Edie  was  granted 
deacon's  orders  and  C.  Long  elder's  order.  The  following 
were  received  from  the  Iowa  Conference :  F.  Beltzer,  W. 
Jonas,  Emil  Mueller,  H.  Eller,  Otto  Gerhardt,  J.  J. 
Miller,  H.  Klinesorge,  J.  Henn,  H.  Lageschulte,  C.  A. 
Mueller,  L.  Beltzer,  M.  Trumbauer,  H.  Borchard,  and 
J.  H.  Mayne.  Sioux  City  district  was  formed,  and  W.  Jonas, 
newly  elected  presiding  elder,  was  appointed  to  the  same. 

1891.  Platte  River  Conference,  Holdredge,  Neb.,  March 
12.  E.  L.  Kiplinger,  president;  J.  H.  Peters,  secretary. 
M.  B.  Young  and  F.  Brookhart  were  granted  deacon's  orders. 
Credentials  were  granted  C.  W,  Anthony,  J.  Whitehead,  S.  A. 
Petit,  D.  P.  Kline  and  N.  F.  Kletzing.  C.  W.  Anthony  re- 
signed as  presiding  elder  and  E.  L.  Kiplinger  was  elected  to 
fill  the  vacancy. 

1891.  Oregon  Conference,  Lafayette,  Oregon,  April  2. 
J.  Bowersox,  president;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary;  T.  Suhr,  of 
the  California,  A.  W.  Teats,  of  the  Pittsburg,  and  N.  F.  Kletz 


584 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


iNG,  of  the  Platte  River  Conference,  were  received.  A.  Parker 
and  E.  Currin  were  granted  license  to  preach.  T.  A.  Yost 
was  granted  deacon's  orders. 

Notes. — This  year  marked  the  actual  disruption  of  the 
church.  The  proposed  arbitration  by  disinterested  parties 
failed,  as  elsewhere  noted,  and  the  minority  had  no  alternative 
but  an  ignominious  surrender  of  their  convictions  and  a  cring- 
ing subserviency  to  an  ecclesiastical  dictatorship,  on  the  one 
hand,  or  a  faithful  adherence  to  the  principles  and  spirit  of  the 
church  as  handed  down  by  the  fathers,  on  the  other.  They 
chose  the  latter,  leaving  the  results  to  God,  who  judgeth  right- 
eously. 

Already  in  1889,  representatives  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference, 
which  was  the  "  oldest  annual  conference,"  asserted  the  dis- 
ciplinary rights  of  the  conference  in  the  church  periodicals. 
Majority  writers  contended  that  there  was  no  "oldest"  con- 
ference. This  discussion  embraces  a  considerable  part  of  the 
controversial  literature  of  1890,  and  was  one  of  the  main  issues 
in  the  litigation  incidental  to  the  disruption.  When,  therefore, 
the  East  Pa.  Conference  met  in  February,  1891,  in  Allentown, 
t«he  following  resolutions  were  passed  : 

Whereas,  Our  Church  Discipline  provides  on  page  56,  sec.  71,  that  "The 
»ime  and  place  of  the  General  Conference  shall  be  appointed  by  the  bishops, 
with  the  consent  of  the  majority  of  the  conference  ;  and  if  there  be  no  bishop 
present,  the  General  Conference  shall  do  it  by  a  majority  of  votes,  or  the  oldest 
annual  conference,  which  then  shall  give  the  other  annual  conferences  due  notice 
of  the  time  and  place  ;"  and 

Wh fleas.  The  last  General  Conference  appointed  the  time,  but  failed  to 
appoint  the  place  ;  therefore. 

Resolved,  That  we,  being  tho  oldest  conference,  consider  it  our  right  am! 
our  duty,  under  the  Discipline,  to  appoint  the  place  for  the  next  General  Con- 
ference, and  that  we  now  proceed  to  perform  that  duty,  and  appoint  the  place." 

The  conference  then  appointed  Christ  church,  Eighth  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  as  the  place,  and  all  the  minority  conferences 
elected  delegates  to  attend  this  conference,  while  the  majority 
delegates  attended  the  conference  held  at  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

With  the  division  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  in  1891, 
many  actions  of  law  were  instituted  by  the  opposition  for  the 
possession  of  churches,  while  the  minority  people  permitted  the 
EsiiER  people  to  retain  the  churches  wherever  they  had  the  con- 
trolling power. 


CHAPTER  III. 


Philadelphia    General   Conference,    Philadelphia,  Pa., 
Oct.   I,   1 89 1. 

The  delegates  of  the  minority  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion, assembled  in  Christ  Evangelical  church,  in  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  Oct.  I,  1891.  A  temporary  organization  was  effected  with 
W.  E.  Detweiler,  president ;  C.  A.  Paeth,  German,  and  J.  H. 
Shirey,  English,  secretary.  The  permanent  organization  was 
effected  with  C.  S.  Haman,  president,  and  the  previously  elected 
secretaries,  who  chose  for  assistants,  W.  Huelster,  S.  F.  En- 
TORF,  W.  Jonas,  U.  F.  Swengel,  C.  C.  Poling,  J.  D.  Wood- 
ring  and  B.  H.  Niebel.  The  usi.al  rules  were  adopted  and 
the  various  committees  appointed. 

Letters  and  greetings  were  received  from  Father  Joseph  M. 
Savlor,  at  this  time  the  oldest  living  minister  of  the  church, 
and  Abraham  Niebel,  Henry  Rohland,  David  Mertz,  Lewis 
Einsel,  B.  Hengst  and  J.  O.  Lehr. 

Honorary  Members. — H.  B.  Hartzler,  chaplain  of  D.  L. 
Moody's  school  at  Northfield,  Mass.,  was  invited  to  a  seat 
within  the  conference  bar,  as  also  J.  Keachele,  who  at  this 
conference  was  received  anew. 

Review  of  Trials. — The  proceedings  in  the  case  of  Bishop 
J.  J.  Esher,  Thomas  Bowman  and  R.  Dubs  were  reviewed. 
The  verdicts  of  guilty  in  the  case  of  Esher  and  Bowman  were 
sustained,  and  they  were  suspended  from  office  and  from  the 
church.  The  verdict  against  Bishop  Dubs  was  reversed,  and 
he  was  fully  restored. 

In  the  case  of  John  Fuchs,  of  the  South  Indiana,  George 
Harms,  of  the  Wisconsin,  and  George  Hasenpflug,  of  the 
Erie  Conference,  the  verdicts  of  guilty  were  reversed  and  they 
were  restored.  In  the  case  of  J.  L.  Miller,  of  the  Central  Pa. 
Conference,  the  verdict  was  sustained,  and  his  expulsion  con- 
firraed. 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Disciplinary  Changes. — Many  disciplinary  changes  were 
adopted,  but  for  reasons  which  may  be  inferred  from  subse- 
quent developments,  never  became  operative,  until  original 
action  was  taken  at  the  Naperville  General  Conference. 

Lay  Representation. — .\  recommendation  was  adopted 
looking  to  the  admission  of  lay  delegates  to  annual  and  Gen- 
eral Conference. 

Memorial. — Action  was  taken  on  the  death  of  C.  Brill,  Ex- 
Bishop  W.  W.  Orwig,  J.  Schaefele,  H.  Schelp,  J.  M.  GoMERand 
J.  M.  Saylor,  the  latter  having  died  near  the  closeof  the  confer- 
ence. 

The  Keystone  League  of  Christian  Endeavor  was 
adopted  as  an  institution  of  the  church,  and  the  following  were 
elected  as  a  Managing  Board  for  the  ensuing  quadrennium  : 
Ministers — U.  F.  Swengel,  W.  H.  Fouke,  J.  B.  Esenwein, 
H.  H.  Rassweiler,  C.  A.  Paeth,  Laymen — F.  Pfunder, 
J.  F.  Boyer,  W.  C.  Weiss  and  S.  A.  Smith. 

Resolutions. — Resolutions  were  adopted  on  Temperance, 
the  Sabbath,  Missions,  Sunday-schools,  Education,  and  the  State 
of  the  Church. 

Statistics. — The  statistics  of  the  entire  church  were  given 
as  follows:  Members,  150,310;  itinerant  preachers,  1218; 
local  preachers,  632  ;  churches,  2,058;  parsonages,  691. 

Elections. — The  following  officials  were  elected  :  Bishops — 
R.  Dubs,  C.  S.  Haman  and  W.  M.  Stanford.  Corresponding 
Secretary  of  the  Missionary  Society — B.  J.  Smoyer.  Treasurer  of 
of  the  Missionary  Society — M.  Kunkel,  (a  layman,  of  Chicago). 
Publisher — John  Schneider.  Editors — For  the  Chrisiliche  Bots- 
xhafter,  J.  Kaechele  ;  Evangelical  Messenger ,  W.  Caton  ;  Ger- 
man Sunday  School  Literature — M.  Stamm  ;  English  Sunday 
School  Literature — U.  F.  Swengel.  Board  of  Publication  :  Min- 
isters— W.  E.  Detweiler,  T.  Bach,  D.  H.  KooKERand  E.  L.  Kip- 
linger;  Laymen,  J.  Hendel,  D.  Z.  Herr  and  T.  L.  Haines. 

The  conference  closed  Oct.  16,  to  hold  its  next  session  at 
Naperville,  111. 

General  Conference  Delegates. 

East  Pa.  Conference. — C.  S.  Haman,  B.  J.  Smoyer,  S.  S. 
Chubb,  D.  A.  Medlar,  W.  F.  Heil,  A.  M.  Stirk,  A.  M. 
Sampsel,  J.  D.  Woodring,  J.  H.  Shirey,  S.  L.  Wieist,  R.  M. 
Lichtenwalner,*  J.  M.  Rinker. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  Sb? 


Central  Pa. — M.  J.  Carotheks,  H.  W.  Buck,  W.  E.  Det- 
■WEiLER,  J.  Hartzler,  A.  H.  Irvine,  S.  W.  Seibert,  U.  F. 
SwENGEL,  J.  M.  Ettinger,  A.  Stapleton,*  W.  N.  Wallis,* 
A.  L.  Reeser. 

Pittsburg. — T.  Bach,  I.  A.  Rohland,  J.  D.  Domer,  W.  M. 
Stanford,  D.  P.  K.  Lavan,  G.  'V\^  Brown. 

Illinois. — D.  B.  Byers,  J.  Schneider,  H.  Messner,  S.  F. 
Entorf,  C.  a.  Fuessele,  F.  Busse,  W.  Caton,  W.  Huelster, 
C.  A.  Paeth,  M.  Stamm,  H.  Meier,*  W.  H.  Fouke.* 

Des  Moines. — J.  Auracher,  E.  B.  Utt,  B.  H.  Niebel,  D. 
H.  KooKER,  W.  Jonas,  W.  Klinefelter. 

Platte  River. — E.  L.  Kiplinger,  A.  M.  Shenberger,  T.  W. 
Serf,  J.  K.  Peters.* 

Oregon. — J.  Bowersox  and  C.  C.  Poling. 

The  Lay  Convention. 

In  connection  with  the  General  Conference,  a  lay  conven- 
tion met  on  the  same  date  (Oct.  i),  in  the  lecture  room  of  the 
church,  closing  Oct.  6  and  reconvening  Oct.  13,  for  one  day. 
The  permanent  officers  were,  president,  I.  Bower  ;  vice-presi- 
dent, M.  Kunkel  ;  secretaries,  W.  C.  Weiss  and  Jacob  Alt; 
treasurer,  B.  B.  Kehler.  The  delegates  to  this  convention 
were  elected  at  district  meetings,  composed  of  a  representative 
from  each  charge. 

The  work  of  the  convention  was  chiefly  designed  to  bring 
about  a  reconciliation  between  the  two  factions  into  which  the 
church  was  divided.  Their  object  and  plan  being  endorsed  by 
resolution  of  the  General  Conference,  telegraphic  communica- 
tions were  at  once  opened  with  the  lay  convention  of  the  Indian- 
apolis General  Conference.  The  beginning  was  auspicious,  but 
the  majority  leaders  of  the  Indianapolis  Conference,  notably 
Bishops  Esher  and  Bowman,  were  pronounced  in  their  oppo- 
sition, and  the  work  of  reconciliation  failed. 

Resolutions  were  adopted  deploring  the  indisposition  of  the 
Indianapolis  gathering  toward  overtures  of  peace.  The  Gen- 
eral Conference  was  asked  to  open  the  way  for  lay  representa- 
tion. The  great  issues  on  which  the  church  stood  divided  were 
discussed,  and  the  position  of  the  minority  strongly  indorsed. 


Alternates. 


588 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Delegates  to  the  Lay  Convention. 

East  Pa.  Conference. — J.  Swartz,  J.  E.  Huber,  H.  R. 
Kreidler,  J.  H.  Painter,  J.  G.  Mohn,  W.  C.  Weiss,  J.  K. 
Maurer,  W.  G.  Borgner,  I.  Christ,  L.  Watts,  W.  J.  Egge, 

C.  W.  Bachman,  L.  F.  Brensinger,  B.  K.  Kehler,  A.  Rath- 

VON, 

Central  Pa. — D.  L.  Zerby,  I.  S.  Frain,  W.  E.  Page,  Prof. 

D.  M.  Brungard,  I.  Bower,  Dr.  W.  F.  Vallerchamp,  Prof. 
W.  A.  Spate,  I.  M.  Dreisbach,  C.  T.  Heil,  W.  E.  Wollet, 
J.  M.  Carothers,  J.  F.  Thomas. 

Illinois. — M.    Kunkel,   J.    Alt,  J.    Strickfaden,   P.  S. 

SCHNABLE,  J.  W.  StOCKER,  C.  W.  A.  LiNDEMAN,  J.  KrAFT,  I.  A. 

Uphofe,  W.  Ross,  J.  C.  Wessling,  T.  L.  Haines,  F.  Berg- 
man, F.  Grimsell,  Dr.  L.  Eberhart,  I.  J.  Vogelgesang. 
Also  George  Hasenpflug,  of  the  Erie  Conference. 

1892.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Feb.  iS. 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president;  J.  H.  Shirey,  secretary.  L.  O. 
WiEST,  J.  H.  Workman,  C.  D.  Huber,  W.  L.  Teel,  D.  A. 
Roth,  S.  H.  Chubb,  W.  J.  Edelman,  J.  W.  Zuber,  B.  K. 
Maurer.  C.  D.  Lentz  and  C.  H.  Shirk  were  licensed  to  preach. 
Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  E.  H.  Romig  and  W.  S.  Harris. 
Deacon's  orders  to  G.  W.  Hangen,  J.  L.  Painter,  H.  H. 
Smith,  J.  U.  Weidel,  J.  K.  Freed,  H.  D.  Kreidler  and  C. 
W.  Heffner.  Father  J.  M.  Saylor,  superannuate,  died,  also 
J.  M.  Salada,  D.  Mertz  and  S.  B.  Medlar,  local  preachers. 
S.  H.  Heebner  and  E.  Wolf,  local  preachers,  withdrew.  F. 

C.  Smith  took  credentials.  A.  M.  Stirk  and  G.  W.  Gross 
were  elected  and  S.  S.  Chubb  reelected  presiding  elders. 

1892.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Williamsport,  Pa.,  March  3. 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary.  W.  Brown, 
M.  A.  Kennelly,  J.  L.  Gardner,  W.  B.  Cox,  D.  B.  Artman, 
J.  E.  Heindel,  G.  H.  Dosh,  C.  W.  Hipple,  J.  G.  Whitmire 
and  I.  Fry  were  licensed  to  preach.  Elder's  orders  were  granted 
to  G.  L.  Mace  and  Deacon's  orders  to  E.  B.  Bailey  and  D.  A. 
Artman,  J.  W.  Smith  withdrew.  J.  Hartzler  was  reelected 
presiding  elder.     S.  Yearik  died  Jan.  31,  aged  64  years,  also 

D.  Peters,  J.  Heller  and  N.  T.  Meads,  local  preachers. 
1892.     Pittsburg  Conference,   DuBois,   Pa.,   March  17. 

Bishop  C.  S.  Haman,  president ;  J.  Q.  A.  Curry,  secretary. 
License  to  preach  was  granted  to  F.  E.  Hetrick,  J.  H.  Elder, 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


5S9 


S.  B.  RoHLAND,  M.  H.  Jones  and  J.  G.  Wise.  Elder's  orders 
were  granted  to  A.  L.  Burkett  and  Deacon's  orders  to  J.  C. 
Hadlock,  J.  E.  RoBB,  J.  H.  Schweisberger,  P.  D.  Steei- 
SMiTH,  H.  M.  Cook,  J.  H.  Boozer  and  C.  W.  Siegfried.  C. 
H.  Miller,  C.  F.  Floto,  E,  F.  Dickey,  A.  Platt,  A.  W. 
Brickley,  C.  D.  Slagel.  G.  J.  Coleman  and  D.  F.  Platt  took 
credentials.  J.  Swartz  withdrew.  G.  Focht  and  L.  Ross 
died.  T.  Bach  was  reelected,  and  G.  W.  Brown  and  J.  W. 
DoMER  were  newly  elected  presiding  elders. 

1892.  Illinois  Conference,  Naperville,  111.,  April  14. 
Bishop  C.  S.  Haman,  president ;  M.  Stamm  and  W.  Caton, 
secretaries.  J.  H.  Gamber  received  license  to  preach.  J.  W. 
Michael,  H.  L.  Beightol  and  J.  G.  Fidder  were  advanced  to 
Elder's  and  A.  Lutz  to  Deacon's  orders.  Died — A.  S.  Heil- 
MAN,  Dec.  12,  1891,  aged  66  years,  E.  Musselman,  J.  Sills 
and  J.  B.  Trumbauer.  William  Berberich  was  received  from 
the  Canada  Conference.  H.  Messner  was  reelected  and  J. 
Schneider  and  William  Caton  were  newly  elected  presiding 
elders.  Jacob  Saylor  and  Joseph  Harlacker,  two  of  the 
oldest  ministers  of  the  church,  addressed  the  conference  with 
words  of  cheer  and  encouragement. 

1892.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa, 
March  24.  W.  M.  Stanford,  president ;  S.  A.  Walton,  secre- 
tary. Received  into  the  conference — F.  C.  Smith,  of  the  East 
Pa. ;  J.  W.  Shaefele,  of  the  Platte  River,  and  C.  A.  Mertz, 
of  the  Illinois  Conference ;  J.  McCallister,  of  the  M.  E. 
Church,  and  also  P.  Beltzer  and  C.  Gerhart,  of  the  Iowa 
Conference.  Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  H.  M.  Trumbauer, 
L.  E.  Belzer,  H.  Borchard,  C.  Pickford  and  M.  A.  Evans. 
Deacon's  orders  to  J.  C.  Doering,  J.  V.  Hummel,  C.  J. 
ScHALLEY,  J.  H.  Mayne,  C.  A.  Mertz,  A.  L.  Golden,  R.  C. 
Pippin  and  W.  M.  Force.  J.  C.  Porter  and  C.  W.  Trieme 
withdrew  and  I.  Edie  took  credentials. 

1892.  Platte  River  Conference,  Glenville,  Neb.,  March  3. 
W.  M.  Stanford,  president  ;  T.  W.  Serf,  secretary.  C.  W. 
DeGroot  was  licensed  to  preach.  S.  W.  Patterson,  M.  T. 
Maize  and  G.  S.  Smith  had  Elder's  and  W.  A.  Coon  and  W. 
M.  Shoop  had  Deacon's  orders  voted  them.  G.  W.  Andrews, 
local,  withdrew.  S.  H.  Dunkelberger  and  H.  R.  Price,  of 
the  Kansas  Conference,  were  received,  also  D.  F.  Honestedt 
and  E.  J.  Trover  were  received  in  full  connection  as  elders. 


590 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


E.  L.  KiPLiNGER  resigned  the  office  of  presiding  elder  and  S.  B, 
DiLLOw  and  E.  J.  Trover  were  elected  to  the  same. 

1892.  Oregon  Conference,  East  Portland,  Oregon,  April  7, 
W.  M.  Stanford,  president ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary.  T.  L. 
Weaver  and  J.  Schneider  were  granted  license  to  preach, 
D.  V.  Poling  and  O.  S.  Haines  were  advanced  to  Deacon's 
orders.  A.  Parker,  a  local  elder,  withdrew.  G.  D.  Kunkel, 
of  the  M.  E.,  and  W.  Uber,  of  the  Congregational  Church, 
were  received,  also  C.  D.  Slagel  and  G.  J.  Coleman,  of  the 
Pittsburg  Conference. 

1892.  Ohio  Conference,  Findley,  Ohio,  Sept.  8.  The 
dissenting,  or  minority  members,  organized  their  conference 
in  the  First  M.  E.  Church,  W.  M.  Stanford,  president ;  W.  W. 
Sherrick,  secretary.  The  following  were  admitted  to  mem- 
bership :  George  Hasenpflug,  of  the  Pittsburg;  D.  W.  Kerr, 
of  the  Illinois,  F.  S.  Smith,  of  the  DesMoines  Conference, 
also  W.  F.  Zander,  of  the  Reformed  and  W.  H.  Ingel,  of  the 
U.  B.  Church.  A.  Evans  was  elected  presiding  elder.  A. 
Loehner  and  Ch.  Idelman,  the  two  oldest  preachers  of  the 
Ohio  Conference,  cast  their  lot  with  the  minority  conference. 
The  following  took  charges  for  the  year  :  A.  Evans,  P.  E.  of 
conference  district ;  Lancaster,  W.  S.  Harpster  ;  Circleville, 
W.  L.  Teel  ;  Cedar  Hill,  F.  C.  Smith  ;  Baltimore,  D.  F.  Platt- 
Zion,  W.  E.  Bailey  ;  Fairfield,  S.  E.  Rife  ;  Cleveland,  W.  F. 
Zander  ;  Findley,  W.  W.  Sherrick  ;  Akron,  George  Hasen- 
pflug ;  Carey,  A.  Swartz.  Unemployed,  A.  Loehner,  C, 
Idleman,  W.  H.  Ingel,  D.  W.  Kerr  and  F.  G.  Stauffer. 

Notes. — Great  and  momentous  events  crowded  each  other  in 
rapid  succession  this  year.  Prominent  among  them  was  the 
renewed  attempts  of  leading  divines  of  various  churches  to 
bring  about  a  peaceful  settlement  of  the  difficulties  of  the 
church,  notably.  Dr.  H.  K.  Carroll,  of  the  New  York  Inde- 
pendent. 

Inasmuch  as  the  General  Conference  declared  that  in  view 
of  the  overtures  of  the  minority  and  the  kind  offices  of  dis- 
interested ministers  that  "Proposals  of  compromise  are  a 
sacrilegious  mockery  and  bear  the  stamp  of  hypocrisy  and  de- 
ceit, and  deserve  no  further  attention,"  we  deem  it  important 
for  the  vindication  of  the  minority  against  the  constant  charge 
of  insincerity  by  the  majority  to  give  the  declaration  signed  by 
441  minority  ))reachers,  inclu(iin<;  also  some  editorial  remarks. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  591 


as  it  appeared  in  the  Independent,  under  the  caption  of  "A  Manly 
Proposal,  as  follows : 

Last  week  we  received  from  Rev.  W.  F.  Heil,  of  Allentown,  Pa.,  the  fol- 
lowing paper,  which  has  been  signed  by  441  ministers,  local  and  itinerant,  ad- 
hering to  the  minority.  Of  these  ministers  94  are  in  the  East  Pennsylvania,  126 
in  the  Central,  47  in  the  Pittsburg,  61  in  the  Illinois,  69  in  the  Des  Moines,  26- 
in  the  Oregon,  and  14  in  the  Platte  River  Conference.  We  give  the  paper  in 
full  : 

Declaration. 

With  a  sincere  desire  that  the  position  of  the  so-called  minority  in  the  pres- 
ent unhappy  controversy  in  our  church  should  be  fully  and  clearly  known  tO' 
every  minister  and  member  of  the  Evangelical  Association  and  to  the  general 
Christian  public,  we  unite  in  this  statement  and  declaration. 

While  we  are  confident  that  our  cause  is  morally  right,  and  we  sincerely  be- 
lieve it  to  be  constitutionally  right,  and  while  we  do  not  admit  that  the  responsi- 
bility for  our  present  deplorable  division,  rests  in  any  large  degree  upon  us,  we 
are  constrained  to  say  that  it  is  not  our  desire  that,  for  the  vindication  of  our 
rights,  precious  as  they  are  to  us,  the  war  of  brother  against  brother,  congrega-^ 
tion  against  congregation,  should  go  on. 

When  a  body  of  brethren  is  thus  torn  asunder  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  grieved,, 
and  His  cause  is  injured.  We  are  conscious  of  the  evil  results  of  a  controversy 
like  that  which  is  rending  the  Ev.  Association.  It  is  possible  that  in  the  heat 
of  the  conflict,  we  may  have  been  provoked  to  the  manifestation  of  a  spirit 
which  should  not  obtain  among  brethren. 

The  sense  of  our  wrongs  has  been  so  keen  that  our  judgment  of  what  is 
right  may  at  times  have  been  affected.  We  do  not,  therefore,  speak  as  though 
we  were  infallible,  but  we  do  speak  as  men  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and 
who  covet  for  ourselves  the  constant  guidance  of  his  Spirit,  as  ministers  and 
members  who  love  the  old  church,  and  desire  that  ihe  differences  be  healed  ;  a& 
brethren  who  love  those  with  whom  we  used  to  worship  and  kneel  at  the  com- 
munion table. 

We  say  to  these  fellow  members  of  the  body  of  Christ,  "  We  be  brethren — 
let  there  be  no  strife,  we  pray  thee,  between  us  and  thee."  We  thus  record  our 
sincere  desire  that  our  differences  may  be  amicably  settled.  And  in  view  of  the 
fact  that  we  believe  it  to  be  impossible  to  secure  an  adjudicatory  within  the 
church,  whose  determination  of  this  matter  would  be  accepted  as  impartial  by 
the  whole  church,  we  believe  in  the  wisdom  of  submitting  the  entire  matter  to. 
a  commission  of  capable  and  influential  ministers  of  sister  churches,  and  hereby 
declare  our  willingness  to  have  the  case  determined  in  this  manner. 

Commenting  on  the  above,  the  editor  of  The  Independent 
says  : 

This  does  not  sound  as  though  it  proceeded  from  a  "generation  of  vipers."' 
It  will  be  hard  for  Bishop  Bowman,  or  his  colleague.  Bishop  Esher,  to  con- 
vince any  fair-minded  man  that  these  441  ministers  are  "vipers"  or  "hypo- 
crites," or  "  corrupt  and  designing  men."  It  is,  of  course,  possible  that  some- 
of  them  may  be  insincere,  but  it  is  not  possible  that  all  are.  It  is  a  manly,  Chris- 
tian spirit  which  the  paper  breathes,  and  it  is  entitled  to  a  manly  Christian  con^ 


592 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


sideration.  We  do  not  see  what  more  they  could  offer  or  concede.  Christiaa 
manliness  should  demand  nothing  more. 

If  this  proposition  is  spurned  as  bitterly  as  that  which  was  made  to  the 
Indianapolis  General  Conference,  the  conclusion  is  inevitable.  The  majority, 
blinded  by  Bishops  EsHER  and  Bowman,  are  bent  on  making  the  disruption  of 
the  church  permanent,  and  in  casting  out  all,  both  ministers  and  laymen,  who 
cannot  pronounce  their  shibboleth. 

If  no  attempt  is  made  to  settle  the  differences,  the  responsibility  for  com- 
pleting a  grievous  schism,  dishonoring  to  the  church,  to  the  cause  of  Christ, 
will  rest  on  the  majority.  We  beg  of  those  who  can  divest  themselves  of  pas- 
sion and  prejudice,  and  who  are  not  more  anxious  for  the  vindication  of  two  or 
three  bishops  than  the  whole  body  of  brethren,  to  come  to  the  front,  and  insist 
that  the  manly  statement  of  the  minority  shall  have  a  manly  answer." 

It  is  sufficient  to  add  that  these  kind  proposals  were  vin- 
dictively spurned  and  the  Independent  was  roundly  abused  by 
the  majority  writers. 

Litigation. — On  the  30th  of  July,  1891,  Judge  Hamilton 
issued  his  second  decision  in  favor  of  the  minority,  the  first  being 
a  temporary  injunction.  This  decision  was  based  in  part  on 
the  valid  suspension  of  Bishops  Esher  and  Bowman.  A  new 
suit  was  begun,  quo  warranto,  Nov.  30,  1891,  in  the  Circuit 
Court  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  by  the  minority  for  the  possession  of 
the  publishing  house.  After  a  most  exhaustive  hearing,  an  ad- 
verse decision  was  rendered  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  1892, 
which  left  the  majority  incumbents  in  full  possession.  The 
case  was  appealed  to  the  Supreme  Court,  which  sustained  the 
lower  court. 

1893.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  Feb.  23. 
Bishop  C.  S.  Haman,  president;  J.  H.  Shirev,  secretary.  J.  H. 
Krecker,  H.  Fosnacht,  William  Scheifley,  W.  H.  Rummel, 
A.  G.  MussELMAN  and  C.  H.  Aroh  were  licensed  to  preach. 
Deacon's  orders  were  granted  to  Thomas  Knecht,  A.  W. 
Brownmiller,  J.  E.  Steele,  H.  F.  Schlegel,  E.  H.  Kistler, 
S.  P.  Erisman,  J.  A.  Sellers,  A.  M.  Swiegert,  H.  P.  Walter 
and  J.  S.  Heisler,  and  Elder's  order's  to  W.  H.  Hartzler, 
A.  L.  Erisman,  C.  L.  Oswald,  G.  W.  Marquardt,  H.  W. 
Behney,  J.  G.  Boughter  and  D.  W.  Kostenbader.  This  was 
the  largest  number  of  advancements  in  the  history  of  the  con- 
ference. H.  W.  Hartranft  and  W.  B.  Romig,  local  preaches, 
withdrew.  D.  A.  Medlar  was  reelected  presiding  elder.  A 
movement  to  hold  a  Bible  Conference  at  Perkasie  Park,  July 
18-20,  was  indorsed.  James  O.  Lehr,  died  Dec.  15,  1892, 
aged  57  years.    Also  W.  Garrett  and  M.  M.  Stecklev. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  593 


1893.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Milton,  Pa.,  March  2. 
W.  M.  Stanford,  president ;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary.  W.  C. 
HocH,  E.  FuLCOMER,  W.  E.  Bailey,  F.  F.  Mayer,  J.  A.  Bull, 
J.  O.  Biggs,  W.  G.  Seifert,  W.  H.  Whitmore,  G.  W.  Heiney, 
D.  F.  Young  and  A.  Duffey  were  licensed  to  preach.  Elder's 
orders  were  granted  to  S.  S.  Mumey,  J.  W.  Thompson,  C.  F. 
Garrett,  E.  L.  Kessler,  S.  E.  Koontz,  J.  P.  Buchner,  W.  E. 
Brillhart,  L.  S.  Reichard,  W.  C.  Bierlev  and  J.  F.  Dunlap, 
and  Deacon's  orders  to  E.  E.  Shaffer,  D.  P.  Schaefer,  D.  L. 
Kepner,  W.  J.  Campbell,  H.  H.  Trumpfheller,  H.  Minsker, 

H.  W.  Bender  and  G.  C.  Hoffman.  R.  W.  Runyan  with- 
drew. A  Church  Extension  Society  was  adopted  and  officers 
elected. 

1893.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Johnstown,  March  16.  R. 
Dubs,  president;  J.  Q.  A.  Curry,  secretary.  D.  L.  Yoder, 
A.  F.  Berkey,  W.  Lewis,  J.  C.  Powell  and  C.  H.  Stewart 
were  licensed  to  preach.  Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  A.  A. 
MoHNEY,  P.  F.  DeVaux  and  P.  Berkey,  and  Deacon's  orders 
to.  F.  W.  Ware,  E.  S.  Deane,  G.  W.  Ringer,  G.  K.  Allen 
and  J.  N.  Buzza.  G.  M.  Alshouse  took  credentials.  I.  A. 
Rohland  was  reelected  presiding  elder.    J.  G.  Milliron  and 

I.  A.  Smith  died,  the  latter  April  25,  1892,  aged  41  years. 

1893.  Illinois  Conference  was  held  in  the  Presbyterian 
church,  Freeport,  111.,  in  consequence  of  an  injunction  by  Judge 
Cartwright,  forbidding  the  conference  to  hold  its  session  in 
the  Salem  Evangelical  church.  In  deference  to  the  recent 
adverse  decision  of  the  Illinois  Supreme  court,  the  conference 
took  the  name  of  "The  Illinois  Conference  of  the  Regular 
Evangelical  Association."  The  conference  convened  April  6. 
Bishop  W.  M.  Stanford,  president ;  M.  Stamm  and  E.  K. 
Yeakel,  secretaries.  B.  R.  Schultze  and  M.  Schmitt  were 
granted  license  to  preach.  M.  C.  Morelock,  J.  F.  Finkbeiner 
and  C.  G.  Unangst  were  advanced  to  Elder's  orders. 

The  Philadelphia  General  Conference  was  recognized  and  its 
legislation  indorsed.  The  previous  actions  of  this  conference 
were  ratified.  A  committee  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the 
majority  representatives  with  a  view  of  adjusting  property 
claims,  etc.  In  connection  with  the  conference,  an  enthusiastic 
Layman's  Convention  was  held,  of  which  C.  W.  Lindeman  was 
president,  and  S.  E.  Knecht,  Esq.,  secretary.  The  actions 
and  course  of  the  ministry  was  indorsed  and  encouraged. 


594 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


1893.  DesMoines  Conference  met  in  Centre  Point,  Iowa, 
April  6.  Bishop  C.  S.  Haman  was  present  to  preside,  and 
as  the  conference  was  about  to  open,  several  majority  leaders 
appeared  with  an  injunction  by  Judge  Preston,  prohibiting  the 
holding  of  the  conference  in  the  name  of  the  Des  Moines  Con- 
ference of  the  Ev.  Association.  As  the  status  of  the  conference 
was  still  undecided  by  the  Supreme  Court,  and  inasmuch  as 
the  injunction  by  Judge  Preston  did  not  forbid  it,  the  ministers, 
after  spending  some  time  in  religious  exercises,  again  returned 
to  their  respective  charges.  A  declaration,  signed  by  fifty- 
three  members  of  the  enjoined  conference,  was  published,  in 
which  their  loyalty  to  the  cause  of  the  minority  was  re-affirmed, 
and  the  laity  were  called  upon  to  stand  firm  in  their  adherence 
to  the  right. 

1893.  Platte  River  Conference,  Blue  Springs,  Neb.,  March 
1 6.  C.  S.  Haman,  president;  T.  W.  Serf,  secretary.  J.  W.  Bis- 
sel,  James  Ramsey,  F.  Devol  and  G.  Stinson  were  licensed  to 
preach.  M.  B.  Young  had  Elder's  and  F.  L.  Mason  and  N.  J. 
KiRKPATRiCK  Deacon's  orders  granted  them.  E.  B.  Miller 
and  R.  I.  Hassinger  were  received  from  the  Kansas  Confer- 
ence. 

1893.  Oregon  Conference,  Dayton,  Oregon,  April  5.  J. 
BowERSOX,  president ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary.  E.  D.  Farns- 
WORTH,  A.  C.  TuNisoN  and  B.  C.  Rabing  were  licensed  to  preach. 
Thomas  Yost  was  granted  Elder's  orders.  D.  V.  Poling  and 
P.  BoTT  withdrew  during  the  year.  A.  R.  Johnson,  J.  M. 
Dick,  O.  S.  Haines  and  J.  M.  Beauchamp  took  credentials. 
Seventeen  ministers  took  work. 

1893.  Ohio  Conference,  Salem  church,  Fairfield  county, 
Ohio,  Sept.  21.  W.  M.  Stanford,  president;  W.  W.  Sherrick, 
secretary.  Charles  M.  Kauffman  and  M.  M.  Rader  were 
licensed  to  preach.  A.  S.  Hildebrand  was  advanced  to  Dea- 
con's orders.  C.  A.  Steffv,  of  the  U.  B.  Church,  D.  F.  Platt, 
of  the  Pittsburg  and  W.  E.  Bailey,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Confer- 
ence, were  received.    F.  G.  Stauffer  took  credentials. 

1893.  Oregon  Conference.  Soon  after  the  session  of  the 
Oregon  Conference,  in  the  Spring  of  1893,  the  majority  leaders 
succeeded  in  getting  a  temporary  injunction  against  the  minority 
preachers,  preventing  them  from  occupying  their  own  parsonages 
and  churches,  and  restraining  them  from  performing  any  func- 
tions in  the  name  of  the  Evangelical  Association.    This  sweep- 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


595 


ing  order  was  granted  without  a  hearing,  and  that  while  the 
question  was  pending  before  a  higher  court.  This  act  was  gener- 
ally condemned  as  a  great  injustice,  but  the  minority  had  no 
remedy  except  abject  submission,  or  a  repudiation  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association  as  represented  by  the  Indianapolis  General 
Conference.  They  chose  the  latter  and  assembled  at  Lafayette, 
Oregon,  May  30,  under  the  presidency  of  Bishop  Dubs,  and 
adopted  the  title  "The  Oregon  Conference  of  the  Regular  Ev. 
Association,"  endorsing  the  Philadelphia  General  Conference, 
and  adopted  the  Discipline  as  it  was  prior  to  1891.  After 
ratifying  the  proceedings  of  former  sessions,  and  issuing  a  cir- 
cular letter  to  the  minority  members  and  friends  on  the  Pacific 
Coast,  they  adjourned.  The  proceedings  were  signed  by  Bishop 
Dubs,  president;  C,  C.  Poling,  secretary;  J.  Bowersox,  H.  L. 
Pratt,  C.  D.  Slagel,  M.  J.  Ballantyne,  G.  J.  Coleman,  T. 
A.  Yost,  T.  L.  Weaver  and  J.  Schneider. 

Note.  — This  was  a  year  of  great  trial  and  conflict  for  the  down- 
trodden minority  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  The  Esher 
leaders  in  a  most  heartless  manner  deprived  the  minority  of  a 
great  number  of  churches  in  which  they,  the  majority,  had  no 
interest  whatever,  or  by  having  adherents  therein.  The  ma- 
jority people  having  brought  suit  for  the  possession  of  the  Read- 
ing, Pa.,  Sixth  Street  church.  Judge  Endlich,  in  June,  decided 
the  case  in  favor  of  the  minority.  Later  the  case  was  appealed 
to  the  Supreme  Court. 

Church  Building — The  Illinois  Conference  having  lost 
nearly  all  its  churches  and  parsonages,  began  the  erection  of 
new  ones  in  a  manner  that  indicated  their  great  devotion  to 
the  old  Evangelical  principles  on  the  one  hand,  and  also  caused 
great  chagrin  to  the  majority  people  on  the  other.  Phoenix- 
like the  grand  conference  arose  from  the  ashes  of  her  ruin,  re- 
deemed and  disenthralled,  for  which  the  Lord  be  praised  ! 

1893.  Bible  Conference.  The  first  Bible  Conference  of 
our  church  was  held  at  Perkasie  Park,  Pa.,  July  17-20,  under 
the  auspices  or  the  East  Pa.  Conference.  The  project  origi- 
nated the  year  previous  at  the  Normal  Assembly,  at  Perkasie, 
under  the  presidency  of  Rev.  D.  A.  Medlar,  who  presented 
the  matter  at  that  meeting  with  favorable  results.  The  Bible 
Conference  was  a  great  success.  Rev.  D,  A.  Medlar  was 
president  and  H.  B.  Hartzler,  D.  D.,  chancellor.  Many 
iistinguished  men  participated  in  the  program. 


596 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Memorials. — During  this  year  the  church  sustained  the 
loss  by  death  of  a  number  of  prominent  ministers,  as  follows  : 

J.  G.  Miller,  born  1813,  in  Germany,  entered  the  ministry 
in  1843,  and  rendered  valuable  service  both  in  the  East  and 
West.    Died  in  Madison,  Wis.,  April  3,  1893. 

Joseph  Harlacker,  born  in  Pennsylvania,  died  at  Naper- 
ville,  111.,  April  15,  1893,  aged  So  years.  He  entered  the  ac- 
tive work  of  the  ministry  in  1832.  He  was  pronounced  in  his 
loyalty  to  the  minority. 

I.  A.  RoHLAND,  D.  D.,  a  presiding  elder  of  the  Pittsburg 
Conference,  died  suddenly  April  23,  1893,  aged  46  years.  In 
his  death  the  conference  lost  one  of  ifc  strongest  pillars,  and 
the  minority  one  of  its  staunchest  defenders. 

Lewis  Einsel,  died  at  Holdredge,  Neb.,  July  6,  1893.  Bom 
in  Ohio  in  1813.  Entered  the  ministry  1836.  He  was  a  strong 
defender  of  the  principles  of  the  minority. 

Abraham  Krause,  died  in  Williamsport,  Pa.,  Aug.  21, 
aged  70  years.  Entered  the  active  ranks  in  184S,  and  rendered 
many  years  of  valuable  service. 

S.  B.  Kring,  son  of  Rev.  Conrad  Kring,  died  in  Decatur, 
Ind.,  July  28,  aged  65  years.  Entered  the  active  work  in  the 
East  in  1850,  and  was  presiding  elder  a  number  of  terms  in 
the  Pittsburg  Conference. 

1894.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Reading,  Pa.,  Feb.  22.  W. 
M.  Stanford,  president ;  J.  H.  Shirev,  secretary.  J.  B.  Ehr- 
HART,  E.  E.  Stauffer,  E.  H.  Hartenstine  and  H.  C.  Lutz 
were  licensed  to  preach.  N.  S.  Hawk,  of  the  M.  E.  Church, 
was  received.     Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  G.  W.  Hangen, 

H.  H.  Smith  and  H.  D.  Kreidler,  and  Deacon's  orders  to 
W.  L.  Teel,  C.  H.  Shirk,  E.  L.  Watts,  T.  L.  Frymier  and 
L.  O.  WiEST.  Daniel  L.  Witmer  and  R.  Litzenberger  died. 
G.  W.  Imboden,  J.  C.  Krause  and  H.  Dutill  took  credentials. 
W.  'F.  Heil  was  reelected  presiding  elder.  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Krecker,  piesident  of  the  Women's  Missionary  Society,  ad- 
dressed the  conference  in  the  interests  of  the  society.  Bishops 
Dubs  and  C.  S.  Haman  were  also  present  and  presided  at 
times. 

1894.    Central  Pa.  Conference,  East  Prospect,  Pa.,  March 

I.  C.  S.  Haman,  president ;  A.  Stapleton,  secretary.  I.  Day- 
ton, F.  H.  Foss  and  A.  W.  Chamberlain  were  licensed  to 
preach.     E.  B.  Dunn,  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  was  admitted. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


597 


Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  D.  A.  Artman  and  E.  B.  Bailey, 
and  Deacon's  orders  to  J.  H.  Furner,  J.  G.  Whitmire,  W.  B. 
Cox,  M.  A.  Kennelley,  W.  N.  Morris  and  J.  H.  Davis.  I.  C. 
Yeakel  withdrew.  A.  Krause  (Sup.),  Z.  Hornberger  and 
R.  C.  Hollenbaugh  died.  Action  was  taken  for  the  holding 
of  a  Bible  Conference.  Bishop  R.  Dubs  addressed  the  con- 
ference. The  committee  on  statistics  reported  3,160  conver- 
sions during  the  year,  and  2,747  accessions.  This  was  the 
largest  number  in  the  history  of  the  conference,  and  caused 
great  rejoicing. 

1894.  Platte  River  Conference,  Dawson,  Neb.,  March 
8.  W.  M.  Stanford,  president ;  T.  W.  Serf,  secretary.  H. 
L.  Price,  W.  B.  Maize  and  W.  R.  Gill  were  licensed  to 
preach.  S.  W.  Patterson  took  credentials.  J.  F.  Rose,  of 
the  M.  E.  Church,  was  received. 

1894.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Hyndman,  Pa.,  March  15. 
W.  M.  Stanford,  president;  J.  Q.  A.  Currv,  secretary.  R. 
Dubs  was  also  present  a  short  time.  H.  B.  Seese,  J.  R.  Clark, 
H.  E.  McElheny,  M.  E.  Borger,  H.  V.  Summers,  William 
Findlay  and  A.  C.  Mock  were  licensed  to  preach.  J.  H. 
Schweisberger,  p.  D.  Steelsmith,  H.  M.  Cook,  C.  W.  Seig- 
FRiED  and  J.  H.  Boozer  were  ordained  Elders  and  J.  G.  Wise, 
Deacon,     B.  F.  Feitt  was  elected  presiding  elder. 

1894.  Illinois  Conference,  Barrington,  111.,  April  4. 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  M.  Stamm  and  E.  K.  Yeakel,  secretaries. 
The  name  of  the  conference  was  changed  from  "The  Illinois 
Conference  of  the  Regular  Ev.  Association, "  to  "The  Illinois 
Conference  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church."  L.  Schmidt 
and  J.  Eller  were  licensed  to  preach.  A.  Lutz  was  ordained 
Elder  and  B.  F.  Ludy,  B.  R.  Schultze,  C.  F.  Rife  and  H.  C. 
Stephan  Deacons.  S.  Torry  died.  George  Harris  and  W. 
Schuster  took  credentials.  George  H.\rms  was  received.  A. 
Haefele  was  elected  presiding  elder.  Fifty-three  ministers 
took  work.  J.  H.  Gamber  was  ordained  Deacon  by  Bishop 
Dubs  at  a  campmeeting  in  June  of  this  year,  near  Barring- 
ton,  111. 

Note. — At  this  conference  provision  was  made  for  a  pos- 
sible General  Conference  during  the  year  by  the  election  of 
General  Conference  delegates.  The  lay  delegates  were  elected 
at  the  district  lay  conventions. 

1894.    Oregon  Conference,  Lafayette,  Ore.,  April  5.  C. 


598  THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 

r 

S.  Haman,  president ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary.  Prof.  C.  A. 
Bowman  and  E.  E.  McVicker  were  licensed  to  preach.  Cre- 
dentials were  granted  to  Theodore  Suhr,  who  went  to  the  Illi- 
nois, and  C.  D.  Slagel,  who  returned  to  the  Pittsburg  Confer- 
ence, and  P.  Desgranges.  C.  C.  Poling  was  elected  Finan- 
cial Agent  for  Lafayette  Seminary.  T.  L.  Weaver  was  ordained 
Deacon. 

Convention  of  the  Ohio  Conference. — Pursuant  to  a 
general  call  the  ministers  of  the  Ohio  Conference,  as  also  a 
large  number  of  laymen  met  in  convention  in  the  Salem  Evan- 
gelical church,  Baltimore,  Ohio,  April  19,  1894.  A.  Evans 
was  president  and  H.  F.  Hampshire,  secretary.  Bishop  R. 
Dubs  was  also  present.  Resolutions  reaffirming  their  adher- 
ence to  minority  principles  were  adopted,  and  also  that  the 
conference  change  its  name  from  "The  Ohio  Conference  of  th» 
Evangelical  Association,"  to  "The  Ohio  Conference  of  the 
United  Evangelical  Church." 

1894.  Ohio  Conference,  special  session.  Owing  to  the 
adverse  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court  in  the  guc  warranto 
case  in  Ohio,  the  ministers  and  lay  delegates  of  the  Ohio  Con- 
ference met  in  convention  in  Baltimore  O.,  April  19.  .\. 
Evans  was  president  and  H.  F.  Hampshire,  secretary.  Reso- 
lutions were  adopted  requesting  the  conference  to  change  its 
name  to  "The  Ohio  Conference  of  the  United  Evangelical 
Church."  The  next  day,  April  20,  R.  Dubs  convened  the 
conference.  W.  W.  Sherrick  was  appointed  secretary.  The 
conference  conformed  itself  to  its  changed  situation  by  adopt- 
ing the  recommendation  of  the  convention  in  regard  to  name, 
and  affirming  its  adherence  to  the  Philadelphia  General  Con- 
ference. 

1894.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Colo,  Iowa,  May  17. 
C.  S.  Haman,  president ;  S.  A.  Walton,  secretary.  Bishop 
Dubs  was  also  present  and  addressed  the  conference.  The 
conference  adopted  the  name  "The  Des  Moines  Conference 
of  the  United  Evangelical  Church."  License  was  granted  M. 
J.  Randall,  R.  Gampe,  F.  Knuth,  J.  Bamford,  B.  Fisher,  G. 
N.  Thompson  and  E.  J.  Wicks.  Elder's  orders  were  granted 
to  L.  A.  Jones,  C.  A.  Mertz,  W.  M.  Force,  A.  L.  Golden, 
J.  W.  Hamilton,  J.  H.  Mayne,  C.  J.  Doering,  R.  C.  Pippin 
and  L.  Skogsberg,  and  Deacon's  orders  to  E.  E.  Hahn,  S.  H. 
Streyffeler,  W.  F.  Brecher,  M.  W.  Shrader.,  S.  Sass,  Max 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  599 


Schmidt,  D.  C.  Busenberg  and  M.  A.  Sheldon.  This  was 
the  greatest  number  of  advancements  at  any  session  in  the 
history  of  the  conference.  J.  Sass,  of  the  Michigan ;  M. 
Schmidt,  of  the  Illinois;  S.  N.  Ramige,  of  the  Iowa  Confer- 
ence; T.  C.  Busenberg,  of  the  M.  E.;  A.  H.  Vogel,  of  the 
Congregational,  and  J.  W.  Martin,  of  the  Reformed  Church, 
were  received  into  conference.  Credentials  were  granted  G. 
L.  KoLB,  L.  Stauffacher  and  J.  Henn.  Forty-nine  ministers 
took  appointments. 

1894.  Ohio  Conference,  Johnsville,  Ohio,  Sept.  21.  R. 
Dubs,  president;  W.  W.  Sherrick,  secretary.  W.  E.  Bailey 
and  C.  M.  Kaufman  had  Deacon's  orders  granted  them.  D.  F. 
Platt  took  credentials.  A.  Evans  resigned  the  office  of  pre- 
siding elder,  and  A.  Swartz  was  elected  to  the  same. 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Preparations  for  the  Organization  of  the  United  Evan- 
gelical Church — Adverse  Decision  of  Civil  Courts. 

This  year  was  fraught  with  momentous  events  in  the  history 
of  the  church,  chief  among  which  was  the  adverse  decision  of 
several  Supreme  Courts,  and  the  consequent  organization  of 
the  United  Evangelical  Church  by  the  union  of  the  minority 
conferences  of  the  Evangelical  Association.  In  March,  the 
Ohio  Supreme  Court  decided  adversely  in  the  case  of  the  Cleve- 
land suit.  This  was  followed  in  May  by  the  Iowa  courts  in 
the  Des  Moines  case.  In  both  cases  the  Ohio  and  Des  Moines 
Conferences  met  immediately,  and  reorganized  under  the  new 
name.  On  the  first  of  October  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsyl- 
vania rendered  its  decision  adversely  in  the  Reading  case,  the 
direct  result  of  which  was  the  eviction  of  the  minority  people 
of  Pennsylvania,  numbering  over  40,000,  from  upwards  of  450 
churches,  in  favor  of  probably  4,000  Esherites.  The  verdict 
met  with  general  disfavor,  not  only  from  the  press,  but  also  in 
legal  circles.  To  say  the  least  of  the  decision,  and  without  any 
reflection  whatever  on  the  integrity  of  the  honorable  court,  the 
minority  holds  that  the  conclusions  of  the  court  were  illegal, 
because, 

1.  The  court  held  that  the  East  Pennsylvania  Conference, 
presided  over  by  C.  S.  Hanan,  in  the  Ebenezer  church, 'Allen- 
town,  Pa.,  in  1891,  was  the  legal  conference. 

2.  That  "  Bishop"  Bowman  and  a  few  friends  in  organizing 
a  rival  conference  were  wholly  unauthorized  by  the  Discipline, 
and  the  body  so  organized  not  having  a  quorum  to  sit  as  mem- 
bers of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  was  an  irregular  body  without 
ecclesiastical  character  under  the  Discipline. 

600 


TEE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  601 


3.  The  Bowman  Conference  was  branded  as  "usurpers" 
because  "his  (Bowman's)  conduct,  and  that  of  his  friends 
in  suspending  and  expelling  presiding  elders  and  others  was  a 
clear  usurpation  of  power,  and  the  sentences  so  pronounced  had 
no  force  or  effect." 

4.  That  the  Indianapolis  General  Conference  (Esherite) 
"exceeded  its  powers  under  the  Discipline,"  and  was  guilty  of 
"unauthorized  assumption  of  power"  in  legalizing  the  afore- 
said unlawful  acts  of  the  majority  bishops  and  their  adherents. 

And  yet  this  same  court  declared  the  Indianapolis  Confer- 
ence legal,  which  was 

1.  Presided  over  by  bishops,  who,  according  to  the  court, 
were  guilty  of  gross  violations  of  the  Discipline. 

2.  There  were  present  at  this  conference  twenty-four  dele- 
gates from  conferences,  which,  according  to  the  court,  were 
"  without  authority  or  ecclesiastical  character  under  the  Dis- 
cipline." It  is  certainly  difficult  for  the  ordinary  mind  to 
harmonize  the  righteousness  of  the  verdict  with  such  char- 
acterizations of  the  majority  side.  The  Christian  heroism  and 
fortitude  of  the  minority  under  this  great  calamity  was  truly 
marvelous,  and  excited  wonder  and  admiration  throughout  the 
entire  country.  In  some  instances  congregations  purchased 
back  their  property,  but  hundreds  of  churches  were  surrendered 
to  the  majority  in  many  instances  where  they  had  not  a  single 
adherent.  The  United  Evangelical  people  were  willing  to  show 
to  the  world  their  devotion  to  principles,  by  sacrificing  in  many 
instances  churches  worth  tens  of  thousands  of  dollars,  and 
some,  as  in  the  case  of  the  Ebenezer  church,  Allentown,  Pa., 
which  had  just  been  built,  at  a  cost  of  over  ^^30,000. 

The  loss  of  iliembers  to  the  minority  through  the  adverse 
decision  was  comparatively  small.  The  people  had  long  be- 
fore this  settled  the  question  in  their  own  minds.  Every  effort 
was  made  by  the  majority  to  induce  the  members  to  stay  in 
their  churches  and  accept  Esherite  pastors,  but  all  to  no  pur- 
pose. The  Indianapolis  General  Conference  having  practically 
excluded  all  who  held  with  the  other  side,  the  people  would  not 
be  influenced  by  the  seductive  pastorals  issued  and  circulated 
with  a  view  of  holding  them  to  their  churches,  The  minority 
people  could  better  afford  to  vacate  their  churches,  parsonages 
and  schools  than  the  other  side  could  afford  to  take  them. 


602 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Special  Conference  Sessions  to  Elect  Delegates  to  a 
Special  General  Conference. 

The  East  Pa.  Conference  met  in  special  session,  in  the 
Metropolitan  Hall,  Reading,  Pa.,  Oct.  lo.  The  body  first 
met  as  a  convention,  and  then  constituted  itself  into  a  perma- 
nent organization,  with  Bishop  W.  M.  Stanford,  president; 
Dr.  C.  B.  Wagner,  vice  president;  J.  H.  Shirev,  secretary, 
and  R.  K.  Schnader,  treasurer.  There  were  present  102 
clerical  and  79  lay  members.  Resolutions  were  adopted  resolv- 
ing the  body  into  "The  East  Pennsylvania  Conference  of  the 
United  Evangelical  Church."  The  principles  of  the  minority, 
as  represented  by  the  Philadelphia  General  Conference,  were 
maintained.  All  the  legislation  of  the  conference  under  the  old 
name  was  confirmed.  The  conference  societies  were  re-estab- 
lished, and  a  General  Conference  was  called,  as  follows : 

Resolved,  That  this  conference  calls  a  General  Conference 
to  meet  at  Naperville,  111.,  the  last  Thursday  in  November, 
1894,  at  7  p.  M.  The  secretary  was  instructed  to  inform  the 
other  conferences  of  this  call. 

The  Central  Pa.  Conference  met  in  special  session  in 
the  Bennett  Street  Evangelical  church,  Williamsport,  Pa.,  Oct. 
16.  The  body  met  as  a  convention.  First  a  temporary,  then 
a  permanent  organization  was  effected,  as  follows  :  Bishop  C. 
S.  Haman,  president ;  I.  Bower,  vice  president ;  A.  Stapleton, 
secretary  ;  J.  W.  Ruby,  treasurer.  The  body  adopted  the  name, 
and  resolved  itself  into  "The  Central  Pennsylvania  Conference 
of  the  United  Evangelical  Church.  The  former  acts  of  the 
conference  were  confirmed.  The  Philadelphia  General  Confer- 
ence was  endorsed,  so  far  as  its  acts  did  not  conflict  with  the 
actions  of  this  session.  The  call  for  a  General  Conference  was 
endorsed.    All  the  conference  societies  were  reestablished. 

The  Pittsburg  Conference  met  in  special  session  in 
Calvary  Evangelical  church,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  Oct.  24.  A  per- 
manent organization,  with  the  following  officers  was  effected  : 
President,  Bishop  W.  M.  Stanford;  secretary,  J.  Q.  A.  Curry. 
The  conference  adopted  the  name,  "The  Pittsburg  Conference 
of  the  United  Evangelical  Church."  The  conference  societies 
were  reorganized,  and  the  call  for  a  General  Conference  was 
endorsed. 

The  Ohio  Conferencf.  met  in  special  session  in  Lancaster. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  603 


Ohio,  Nov.  5.     Bishop  R.  Dubs,  president,  and  W.  W.  Shek- 
■T(-K,  secretary.  .\.  Swartz  was  elected  delegate  to  the  "coining" 
General  Conference,  and  A.  Evans,  alternate.    W.  A.  Fur- 
GESON,  a  layman,  was  also  elected,  and  I.  W.  Keller,  alternate. 

The  Oregon  Conference  met  in  special  session  at  La- 
fayette, Ore.,  Nov.  7.  J.  Bowersox,  president;  C.  C.  Poling, 
secretary.  B.  Hartman  was  licensed  to  preach.  Delegates 
were  elected  for  the  coming  General  Conference.  The  confer- 
ence again  pledged  its  adherence  to  the  cause  of  the  minority 
and  the  acts  of  the  Philadelphia  General  Conference.  Minis- 
ters present,  J.  Bowersox,  C.  C.  Poling,  M.  J.  Ballantyne, 
F.  J.  Strayer,  H.  L.  Pratt,  T.  L.  Weaver,  C.  N.  Plowman, 
E.  D.  Farnsworth  and  C.  A.  Bowman,  besides  a  number  of 
lay  delegates. 

Lay  Representation. — The  special  conferences,  both  in 
Pennsylvania  and  the  West  were  the  first  legislative  assemblies 
in  which  the  laity  participated  since  the  organization  of  the 
first  conference,  under  the  presidency  of  the  founder  of  the 
church,  Jacob  Albright,  in  1807.  It  is  a  remarkable  coinci- 
dence that  in  both  instances  a  denominational  name  was 
adopted.  The  lay  delegates  to  the  special  conferences  were 
elected  at  lay  district  conventions,  called  for  that  purpose. 


CHAPTER  V. 


The  First  General  Conference,  at  Naperville,  III.,  Fer. 

29,  1894. 

In  harmony  with  the  call  of  the  East  Pennsylvania  Confer- 
ence, and  the  concurrent  action  of  all  the  other  annual  confer- 
ences, the  delegates  of  the  hitherto  minority  conferences  assem- 
bled at  Naperville,  111.,  Nov.  29,  1894.  The  basis  of  delegation 
was  the  same  as  in  former  years,  viz.,  one  ministerial  delegate 
for  every  fourteen,  and  surplus  of  seven  or  over,  of  the  regular 
ministers.  In  addition  to  these,  there  was  an  equal  number  of 
lay  delegates,  who  were  elected  by  the  laymen,  at  the  special 
conference  sessions.  For  prudential  reasons  there  were  no  dele- 
gates present  from  the  Platte  River,  and  Oregon  Conferences. 

Opening. — The  conference  was  opened  by  Bishop  R.  Dubs. 
William  Caton  was  elected  temporary  secretary.  The  dele- 
gates were  then  enrolled.  The  following  day,  William  Caton 
was  elected  permanent  secretary,  and  A.  Stapleton,  S.  A.  Wal- 
ton, M.  Stamm,  W.  Jones  and  A.  Haefele,  assistants.  Bishops 
Dubs,  Haman  and  Stanford  presided  in  their  order  during  the 
conference,  which  closed  Thursday  evening,  December  13th. 

Honorary  Members. — The  following  named  fathers  of  the 
church,  all  of  whom  were  former  members  of  General  Confer- 
ences, were  made  honorary  members,  and  invited  to  seats  within 
the  bar  of  conference :  Jacob  Savlor,  Daniel  Kreamer,  C. 
Lindeman,  C.  A.  Fuessele,  A.  Bussard,  J.  Keiper,  Israel 
Kuter,  a.  Stahley  and  L.  Eberhart. 

Greetings  were  received  from  Abraham  Niebel,  who  was  a 
member  of  the  first  delegate  General  Conference  (1843),  Henry 
RoHLAND,  J.  Kaechele  and  J.  Bowersox. 

Fraternal  Delegates. — William  Bell,  D.  D.,  missionary 
secretary  and  G.  Funkhouser,  D.  D.,  professor  of  theology  in 
Dayton,  Ohio,  addressed  the  conference,  as  fraternal  delegates 
of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ.    Bishop  R.  Dubs  was  chosen 

604 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


o05 


to  represent  this  body  at  the  next  General  Conference  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church ;  Bishop  W.  M.  Stanford,  alternate. 

Church  Name. — The  name  "The  United  Evangelical 
Church,"  was  adopted  to  designate  the  minority  of  the  Evan- 
gelical Association,  of  which  this  conference  is  the  representa- 
tive body. 

Committees. — The  work  of  revising  the  Discipline,  Articles 
of  Faith,  etc.,  was  entrusted  to  a  large  number  of  committees, 
in  which  every  conference  was  represented.  The  Committees  on 
Temperance,  Sabbath,  Sunday-schools,  Missions,  Christian  En- 
deavor, etc.,  all  submitted  well  digested  reports,  which  were 
adopted.  Committees  also  reported  and  suitable  resolutions 
were  adopted  on  the  educational  interests  of  the  church.  A  let- 
ter from  Prof.  A.  E.  Gobble,  D.  D.,  president  of  Central  Pa. 
College,  was  read,  and  Prof.  H.  H.  Rassweiler,  late  president 
of  Northwestern  College,  delivered  an  address  on  this  subject. 

Missionary  Interests. — The  Parent  Missionary  Society 
-was  reconstructed  in  accordance  with  its  new  status.  A  new 
■constitution  was  adopted,  and  closer  relations  were  effected  be- 
tween the  Parent  Society,  and  the  Woman's  Missionary  Society, 
Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines,  of  Chicago,  and  Mrs.  C.  F.  Rassweiler,  of 
Naperville,  delivered  addresses  on  behalf  of  the  latter  society. 
In  regard  to  Foreign  Missions  it  was  resolved  that  such  a  work 
may  be  established  as  soon  as  the  fund  for  that  purpose  shall 
amount  to  ;?2o,  coo.  The  Board  of  Missions  was  authorized  to 
appropriate  sufficient  means  for  the  support  of  two  Bible  Women 
in  the  foreign  field  during  the  next  quadrennium. 

Memorial  Services  were  held  in  memory  of  Francis  Hoff- 
man, L.  Einsel,  Joseph  Harlacher,  E.  Kohr,  and  I.  A.  Ron- 
land,  who  entered  upon  their  eternal  reward  during  the  last 
quadrennium. 

Licensed  to  Preach. — Edwin  S.  Woodring,  of  Allentown, 
Pa.,  a  student  of  Moody's  Institute,  in  Chicago,  was  granted 
license  to  preach. 

Publishing  Interests. — Provisions  were  made  for  the  crea- 
tion of  a  Board  of  Publication,  empowered  to  acquire,  condi- 
tionally, the  publishing  concerns  of  the  Evangelical  Publishing 
Company,  of  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  and  the  Volksblatt  Printing  Com- 
pany, of  Chicago,  111.  The  Evangelical  and  the  Evangelische 
Zeitschrift,  published  by  the  aforenamed  companies,  were  rec- 
ognized as  the  official  organs  of  the  church. 


606  THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Provisions  were  made  for  the  publication,  in  the  English  and 
the  German  languages,  of  a  hymn  book.  Discipline,  catechism 
and  almanac.  The  following  constitutued  the  Hymn  book  com- 
mittees: English. — Rev.  H.  B.  Hartzler,  W.  M.  Stanford, 
Rev.  J.  B.  EsENWEiN,  Rev.  J.  D.  Woodring,  Rev.  U.  F.  Swen- 
GEL  and  Prof.  O.  L.  Jacobs.  German. — Bishop  R.  Dubs.  Rev. 
J.  Schneider,  Rev.  C.  A.  Fuesele,  Rev.  S.  Busse,  Rev.  W.  F. 
ScHMALLE,  Rev.  G.  Barth,  Rev.  T.  Suhr  and  Rev.  C.  New- 
ton Dubs. 

An  article  on  the  history  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church, 
prepared  by  Rev.  D.  Bvers  for  the  "American  Series  of  Church 
History,"  was  approved.  Provision  was  also  made  for  the  pub- 
lication of  other  necessary  works. 

Important  Changes. — While  it  is  impracticable  to  note  all  the 
changes  effected  in  the  polity  of  the  church,  the  following  brief 
outline  may  suffice.  The  old  Discipline  (prior  to  1891)  with  the 
changes  made  at  the  Philadelphia  General  Conference,  was  used 
as  a  basis  for  a  new  one.  Thsee  vital  restrictive  rules  were 
adopted:  (r)  The  Articles  of  Faith,  shall  never  be  changed, 
(2)  The  itinerancy  shall  never  be  abolished.  (3)  The  annual 
conferences  shall  never  be  deprived  of  the  right  to  determine 
the  legality  of  their  own  organization.  The  laymen  were 
granted  equal  representation  in  the  conferences  with  the  minis- 
try. The  tenure  of  office  of  bishops  and  presiding  elders  was 
limited  to  two  consecutive  terms,  of  four  years  each.  Editors 
and  publishers  and  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  mission- 
ary society,  were  made  ineligible  as  delegates  to  General  Con- 
ference. The  pastoral  term  was  extended  to  four  years.  The 
Woman's  Missionary  Society  was  granted  the  privilege  of  send- 
ing a  delegate  to  the  Board  of  Missions,  and  local  societies  shall 
be  entitled  to  a  representative  in  quarterly  conference.  Local 
Keystone  Leagues  of  Christian  Endeavor  were  also  given  the 
latter  privilege.  The  pastor,  officers  and  teachers  of  a  Sunday- 
school  shall  constitute  a  Sunday-school  Board  for  the  manage- 
ment of  the  school. 

A  form  of  deed  was  adopted  which  makes  the  loss  of  church 
property  impossible  in  case  of  denominational  division. 

Charitable  Society. — Authority  was  given  to  C.  S.  Haman, 
S.  S.  Chubb,  A.  M.  Sampsel,  B.  J.  Smover,  John  R.  Miller, 
John  Hendel,  W.  P.  Huber,  Dr.  C.  B.  Wagoner  and  John 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  607 


Seibert,  all  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  to  organize  a  charitable 
society  on  behalf  of  the  church. 

Election  of  Officers. — Bishops,  R.  Dubs  and  W.  M.  Stan- 
ford ;  corresponding  secretary  of  missionary  society,  B.  J. 
Smoyer  ;  statistical  secretary,  B.  H.  Niebel  ;  board  of  publi- 
cation, First  District,  S.  S.  Chubb  and  W.  P.  Huber  ;  Second 
District,  W.  E.  Detwiler  and  I.  Bower;  Third  District,  T. 
Bach  and  H.  P.  Crouse  ;  Fourth  District,  J.  Schneider  and  T. 
L.  Haines  ;  Fifth  District,  B.  H.  Niebel  and  N.  R.  Clift  ;  of- 
ficers of  the  parent  missionary  society,  president;  S.  L.  Wiest  ; 
recording  secretary,  U.  F.  Swengel;  corresponding  secretary,  B. 
J.  Smoyer  ;  treasurer,  J.  G.  Mohn  ;  managing  board  of  K.  L. 

C.  E.,  W.  H.  FouKE,  U.  F.  Swengel,  J.  B.  Esenwein,  J.  Q. 

A.  Curry,  Prof.  H.  H.  Rassweiler.  Lay,  F.  J.  Boyer,  C. 
Porter,  W.  C.  Weiss  and  M.  J.  Randall.  William  Caton 
was  elected  editor  of  the  General  Conference  Journal. 

Boundaries. — All  the  appointments  belonging  to  the  Pitts- 
burg Conference,  situated  in  Ohio,  were  detached  from  that 
conference  and  added  to  the  Ohio  Conference.  The  Des  Moines 
Conference  was  empowered  to  divide  its  work  during  the  quad- 
rennium  and  constitute  an  additional  conference. 

Statistics. — The  Committee  on  Statistics  reported  the  total 
membership  of  the  church  as  61,120,  with  415  itinerant  and  226 
local  preachers. 

Discipline. — The  bishops  and  Revs.  W.  F.  Heil,  U.  F. 
Swengel  and  J.  B.  Esenwein  were  constituted  a  committee  to 
arrange  the  Discipline  for  publication. 

General  Conference  Delegates. — Bishops,  R.  Dubs,  D. 

D.  ,  LL.D.,  C.  S.  Haman  and  W.  M.  Stanford,  A.  M. 

£:ast  Pa.—B.  J.  Smoyer,  W.  F.  Heil,  S.  S.  Chubb,  A.  M. 
Stirk,  G.  W.  Gross,  D.  A.  Medlar,  J.  D.  Woodring  and  A. 
M.  Sampsel.  Central—^.  E.  Detwiler,  H.  W.  Buck,  J.  M. 
Ettinger,  U.  F.  Swengel,  M.  J.  Carothers,  J.  Hartzler,  A. 
H.  Irvine  and  A.  Stapleton.  Pittsburg — G.  W.  Brown,  T. 
Bach,  B.  F.  Feitt,  J.  W.  Domer  and  J.  Q.  A.  Curry.  Illinois — 
John  Schneider,  H.  Messner,  S.  F.  Entorf,  William  Caton, 
D.  B.  Byers,  a.  Haefele,  W.  H.  Fouke  *  and  F.  Busse*. 
Des  Moines — B.  H.  Niebel,  W.  Jonas,  J.  E.  Stauffhcher,  E. 

B.  Utt  and  S.  A.  Walton.    Ohio — A.  Swartz. 

Laymen. — East  Pa. — W.  Litzenberger,  J.  H.  Reininger, 
Dr.  C.  B.  Wagoner,  J.  G.  Mohn,  B.  K.  Kehler,  W.  P.  Huber 


608 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


and  H.  Lobien.  Central — Isaiah  Bower,  I.  S.  Train,  Prof.  J. 
A.  RoBB,  D.  Shoemaker,  James  M.  Carothers,  N.  T.  Dun- 
DORE,  J.  W.  Ruby  and  Elmer  Ditmar.  Pittsburg — M.  B. 
Templin,  D.  L.  Weaver,  S.  C.  Ream  and  C.  W.  Close.  Illi- 
nois— J.  F.  Schlosstein,  J.  Epley,  J.  Strickfaden,  Charles 
Markhoff,  Isaac  Hansam,  J.  Yeakel,  F.  Long*  and  D. 
Zahn.*  Des  Moines — E.  Pribbenow,  N.  R.  Clift  and  E.  E. 
Hoover.     Ohio — W.  A.  Furgeson. 

Notes. — Although  the  United  Evangelical  Church  was  organ- 
ized with  but  eight  conferences  (including  the  Platte  River  and 
Oregon),  this  did  not  by  any  means  represent  the  total  number 
of  the  Minority  people,  who  were  scattered  in  considerable  num- 
bers throughout  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  in  many  in- 
stances constituted  the  majority  of  members  in  congregations. 
In  the  former  South  Indiana  Conference,  the  Minority  preserved 
organizations  at  Terre  Ha<ite,  Jonesboro,  Annville,  Brazil  and 
Clarksville.  In  the  Michigan  Conference  a  number  of  organ- 
izations were  maintained  and  connected  with  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference of  the  United  Evangelical  Church.  In  the  autumn  of 
1892,  Bishop  Dubs  visited  Reed  City  and  Pinora  and  preached 
in  the  Evangelical  churches.  This  so  enraged  the  Majority 
minister  that  he  expelled  a  family  for  entertaining  the  bishop, 
including  also  a  daughter  who  was  several  hundred  miles  away, 
and  who  knew  nothing  of  the  occurrence.  In  February,  Bishop 
Dubs  also  visited  lona,  Mich,  and  preached  to  large  congrega- 
tions. The  Majority  preacher  promptly  expelled  without  trial 
all  who  openly  adhered  to  the  bishop.  The  Illinois  Conference, 
in  1894,  appointed  A.  LuTZ  to  Reed  City,  and  J.  G.  Finkbeiner 
to  Owasso  and  Flint. 

In  the  early  stages  of  the  disruption,  the  Bay  City,  Mich., 
congregation  declared  itself  independent  of  the  church,  and  Rev. 
Henry  Schneider,  a  former  presiding  elder  of  the  conference, 
and  who  was  expelled  for  his  Minority  sentiments,  became  their 
pastor.  Litigation  followed  for  the  possession  of  the  church, 
which  was  finally  decided  adversely  to  the  congregation,  after 
which  it  also,  with  its  pastor,  cast  its  lot  with  the  United  Evan- 
gelical Church,  and  erected  a  new  edifice. 

In  the  Iowa  Conference,  probably  one-half  of  the  ministers 
and  members  were  Minority  in  sentiment.  At  the  opening  of 
the  conference  at  Ackley,  in  1891,  the  latter  were  in  the  ma- 
jority, but  Bishop  T.  Bowman,  whose  presidency  was  contested. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  609 


unlawfully  suspended  a  number  of  ministers,  and  thus  succeeded 
in  controlling  the  conference.  A  large  number  of  Minority 
members  thereupon  withdrew,  and  were  later  constituted  the 
Sioux  City  District  of  the  Des  Moines  Conference. 

In  Minnesota  a  considerable  number  adhered  to  the  United 
Evangelical  Church.  In  March,  1894,  W.  Jonas,  presiding 
elder  of  Sioux  City  District,  of  the  Des  Moines  Conference, 
visited  East  Prairie  and  was  warmly  received  by  the  Minority 
members.  Rev.  W.  Brecher,  of  the  Des  Moines  Conference, 
also  gained  entrance  this  year  at  various  places.  In  September, 
"VV.  Jonas  visited  Slayton  and  vicinity.  After  great  opposition, 
a  class  was  formed  on  Sept.  29th,  with  Henry  Brown  as  leader 
and  Albert  Busse  assistant.  This  was  the  first  organization  in 
the  State.  Bishop  Dubs  and  W.  Jonas  also  visited  Nerstrand. 
In  Kansas,  Hiawatha  and  Clay  Circuits  were  Minority  and  were 
connected  with  the  Platte  River  Conference. 

In  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  J.  Kaechele  gathered  the  Minority 
members  into  a  society  in  1890,  and  with  them  united  with  the 
East  Pa.  Conference  in  189 1. 

In  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  the  Minority  members  were  gath- 
ered into  a  society  by  Rev.  Theodore  Suhr,  of  the  California 
Conference. 

Memorials. — Solomon  J.  Caton,  retired,  Somerset  county, 
Pa.,  died  Feb.  6th,  aged  42  years;  William  Wonder,  local, 
from  Ohio,  died  Feb.  i8th,  at  Blue  Springs,  Neb.,  aged  66 
years ;  R.  Litzenberger,  retired,  AUentown,  Pa.,  died  Feb. 
17th,  aged  78  years;  William  Miller,  local,  Lehigh  county. 
Pa  ,  died  March  30th,  aged  67  years;  Charles  Warmkessel, 
itinerant,  Leib,  Pa.,  died  June  2rst,  aged  40  years;  E.  Kohr, 
retired,  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  died  Aug.  19th,  aged  70  years  (See 
Biog. );  C.  W.  DeGroot,  itinerant,  Glennville,  Neb.,  died  Sept. 
2d,  aged  38  years  ;  M.  K.  Trumbore,  local,  East  Pa.,  died  Nov. 
14th,  aged  45  years  • 


CHAPTER  VI. 


1895.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa.,  Feb. 
28.  R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  H.  Shirey,  secretary.  License  to 
preach  was  granted  to  John  E.  Kerr,  Robert  F.  Andrews, 
Ammon  E.  Hagner  and  Solomon  Dissinger.  Deacon's  orders 
were  granted  to  W.  J.  Edleman  and  H.  E.  Fasnacht  ;  Elder's 
orders  to  H.  P.  Walter,  J.  A.  Sellers,  H.  F.  Schlegel  and 
S.  P.  Erisman.  D.  a.  Roth,  local,  withdrew,  and  H.  A. 
Smith  and  J.  W.  Woehrle  were  granted  credentials. 

The  newly  established  institution  of  learning  at  Myerstown, 
Pa.,  was  named  "Albright  Collegiate  Institute."  The  confer- 
ence was  re-districted  and  officered  as  follows  :  Reading  Dis- 
trict, C.  S.  Haman,  presiding  elder ;  Harrisburg  District,  B.  J. 
Smoyer  ;  Allentown  District,  A.  M.  Stirk. 

1895.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  York,  Pa.,  March  7.  W. 
M.  Stanford,  president ;  A.  Stapleton,  secretary.  H.  Smith, 
W.  N.  Fulcomer,  N.  3.  Dubs,  A.  D.  Gramly  and  R.  E.  Wil- 
son were  licensed  to  preach.  D.  F.  Young,  E.  Fulcomer,  W. 
C.  HocH,  F.  F.  Mayer  and  I.  N.  Bair  had  Deacon's,  and  D.  L. 
Keener,  E.  E.  Shaffer,  H.  Minsker,  D.  P.  Shaffer  and  W. 
J.  Campbell  had  Elder's  orders  voted  them.  W.  E.  Detwiler 
H.  W.  Buck  and  A.  H.  Irvine  were  reelected  and  A.  Staple- 
ton  and  N.  Young  were  newly  elected  presiding  elders  and 
stationed  as  follows  :  York  District,  A.  H.  Irvine  ;  Carlisle 
District,  N.  Young  ;  Centre  District,  A.  Stapleton  ;  Lewis- 
burg  District,  H.  W.  Buck  ;  Williamsport  District,  W.  E.  Det- 
wiler. 

1895.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Franklin,  Pa.,  March  14.  R. 
Dubs  and  W.  M.  Stanford,  president ;  J.  Q.  A.  Curry,  secre- 
tary. The  following  withdrew  :  A.  A.  Mohney,  J.  H.  Shimp, 
F.  P.  Hummel,  J.  H.  Stauffer  and  S.  O.  Musselman.  Li- 
cense to  preach  was  granted  to  J.  T.  Horner,  J.  A.  Schaffek 
and  J.  W.  Ward.    Deacon's  orders  were  granted  Wilson  Lewis, 

610 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  611 


A.  F.  Berkey,  D.  L.  Yoder,  J.  H.  Elder,  G.  W.  Imboden,  S. 

B.  RoHLAND,  H.  M.  Fink,  D.  Stoll  and  R.  Reed.  Elder's 
orders  to  F.  W.  Ware.  C.  D.  Slagel,  of  the  Oregon  Confer- 
ence, was  admitted. 

Presiding  elder  districts  :  Pittsburg,  G.  Brown  (this  be- 
came Canton  District  of  the  Ohio  Conference);  Allegheny,  T. 
Bach  ;  Franklin,  B.  F.  Feitt  ;  Somerset,  J.  W.  Domer. 

1895.  Ohio  Conference,  Lancaster,  Ohio,  Sept.  19.  W. 
M.  Stanford,  president ;  J.  H.  Schweisberger,  secretary. 
G.  A.  Smith  was  granted  Elder's  orders.  Lorrain  was  con- 
stituted a  mission.  That  part  of  the  Pittsburg,  which  was  con- 
ceded to  this  conference,  was  embraced  in  Canton  District.  A. 
Swartz,  presiding  elder  of  Lancaster,  and  G.  W.  Brown,  of 
Canton  District. 

1895.  Illinois  Conference,  Groveland,  111,  April  11.  R. 
Dubs,  president ;  S.  F.  Entorf,  secretary.  E.  Knapp,  Elmer 
Rife,  E.  F.  Fuessele  and  Jacob  Haehlaen  were  licensed  to 
preach.  M.  Smith,  of  the  Des  Moines  Conference,  was  re- 
ceived. 

Presiding  elder  districts  :  Chicago,  J.  Schneider,  Naper- 
ville,  H.  Messner;  Freeport,  W.  Caton;  Southern,  A.  Haefele. 

1895.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Nora  Springs,  Iowa, 
April  4.  R.  Dubs,  president ;  S.  A.  Walton,  secretary.  W. 
W.  Shuler  and  Max  Smith  were  granted  credentials.  Deacon's 
©rders  were  granted  to  S.  M.  Ramage,  and  Elder's  orders  to 
W.  F.  Brecher  and  G.  L.  Springer.  E.  D.  VanHorn  and 
J.  Buzzard  were  received  in  the  local  relation.  Ackley  District 
was  constituted. 

Presiding  elder  districts  :  Cedar  Rapids,  J.  E.  Stauffacher  ; 
Des  Moines,  B.  H.  Niebel  ;  LeMars,  W,  Jonas  ;  Ackley,  F. 
Belzer. 

1895.  Platte  River  Conference,  Kearney,  Neb.,  March  7. 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  T.  W.  Serf,  secretary.  E.  W.  Brooker, 
L.  Lohr,  Henry  Wood,  A.  P.  Layton,  Ira  MqBride,  J.  H. 
Day,  a.  J.  Afflerbach  and  A.  L.  Morgan  were  licensed  to 
preach.  J.  Wolford  was  admitted  as  an  elder.  N.  J.  Kirk- 
patrick  was  admitted  into  the  itinerancy.  E.  J.  Troyer,  pre- 
siding elder  of  Blue  Spring,  and  S.  B.  Dillow,  of  Kearney 
District. 

1895.  Oregon  Conference,  April  4.  W.  M.  Stanford, 
president ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary.    J.  J.  Schneider  withdrew. 


612 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


W.  L.  Arnold,  C.  D.  Kimberlin,  Walter  Hamilton  and 
James  A.  Renshaw  were  licensed  to  preach.  E.  D.  Farns- 
woRTH  and  B.  J.  Kelly  were  granted  Deacon's  orders.  F.  D. 
Holman  was  admitted  as  a  local  elder.  M.  J.  Ballantyne 
was  elected  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 

Special  Session. — The  Oregon  Conference  assembled  in  La- 
fayette, Ore.,  May  2d,  to  hold  a  special  session  mainly  for  the 
purpose  of  adjusting  the  relations  of  Lafayette  Seminary  to  the 
new  conditions  of  the  conference.  Bishop  Stanford  presided 
and  C.  C.  Poling  was  secretary. 

Note. — This  year  was  especially  remarkable  for  church 
building.  Edifices  sprang  up  everywhere  as  if  by  magic.  From 
four  to  six  dedications  on  a  Sunday  was  no  unusual  occurrence, 
and  church  projects  and  dedications  formed  the  chief  topic  in 
church  periodicals.  A  great  many  congregations  succeeded  in 
purchasing  back  their  churches  from  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion. At  Williamsport,  Pa.,  its  agents  ratified  the  sale  of  sixty- 
two  churches  within  the  bounds  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference, 
and  this  in  a  single  day  in  March,  1895,  while  many  were  dis- 
posed of  afterwards.  In  all,  there  were  purchased  about  two 
hundred,  and  newly  built  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  churches 
during  this  year. 

A  petition  emanating  from  the  East  Pa.  Conference  ad- 
dressed to  the  General  Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion, proposing  that  the  questions  which  had  not  already  been 
settled,  be  made  the  subject  of  arbitration  by  representative 
men  of  other  churches,  and  to  be  chosen  in  such  a  manner  as 
might  be  mutually  agreed  upon,  was  passed  by  in  silence  by  that 
body  at  its  session  of  1895. 

The  new  Discipline  made  its  appearance  in  February,  and 
was  well  received,  annual  conferences  adopting  it  by  a  rising 
vote. 

In  February  B.  J.  Smoyer,  the  corresponding  secretary  of 
the  missionary  society,  resigned  his  office  at  the  request  of  the 
Executive  Committee  of  the  Board  of  Missions.  This  was  en- 
tirely in  the  interests  of  economy,  and  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
augurating a  new  system  of  raising  funds  by  direct  appeal 
through  the  ministry  and  church  periodicals. 

The  death  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Ettinger,  the  gifted  editor  of  The 
Evangelical,  on  Feb.  3,  cast  a  gloom  of  sorrow  over  the  entire 
church.    The  vacant  post  was  well  filled,  however,  by  the  imme- 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  618 


diate  appointment  of  B.  J.  Smoyer,  who  served  until  July, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  H.  B.  Hartzler,  who,  since  1890, 
had  been  associated  with  D.  L.  Moody,  as  a  teacher  in  his  Bible 
Training  School,  at  Northfield,  Mass. 

On  May  14,  15,  the  Board  of  Publication  met  in  Harrisburg,  • 
Pa.,  and  unified  the  publishing  interests  of  the  church  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  provisions  of  the  General  Conference.  The 
German  catechism,  by  Rev.  J.  Kaechele,  was  adopted  and  or- 
dered to  be  published  as  soon  as  possible. 

On  May  22,  the  Supreme  Court  of  Nebraska  filed  a  favorable 
decree  in  the  case  of  the  Platte  River  Conference,  thus  showing 
that  at  least  one  court  of  last  resort  regarded  the  position  of  the 
minority  as  correct  from  a  legal  standpoint.  The  conference 
thus  being  established  in  its  ecclesiastical  rights,  proceeded  to 
adjust  its  relations  with  the  opposition  conference  and  to  form- 
ally connect  itself  with  the  United  Evangelical  Church. 

The  Charitable  Society  provided  for  by  the  General  Confer- 
ence was  granted  a  charter  during  the  year  by  the  courts  at 
Reading,  Pa. 

The  work  of  the  church  was  considerably  extended  this  year 
in  Minnesota.  In  the  month  of  September  W.  Jonas,  the  pio- 
neer presiding  elder  of  Des  Moines  Conference,  whose  district 
extended  into  the  states  of  Iowa,  Minnesota,  Nebraska  and 
South  Dakota,  for  the  first  time  visited  Oak  Lake  and  in  Octo- 
ber Blue  Earth  City,  and  was  warmly  received. 

Memorials. — The  church  suffered  the  loss  of  the  following 
ministers  during  the  year:  J.  M.  Ettinger,  itinerant,  York,  Pa., 
died  Feb.  3,  aged  48  years  (See  Biog. );  Benjamin  Wagner, 
retired,  Dwight,  111.,  died  Jan.  11,  aged  70  years  ;  Henry  Roh- 
LAND,  retired,  Freeport,  111.  (See  Biog.);  Cyrus  Manwell, 
retired,  Laporte,  Iowa,  died,  aged  65  years. 

1896.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Shamokin,  Pa.,  Feb.  27.  W. 
M.  Stanford,  president ;  J.  H.  Shirey,  secretary.  The  follow- 
ing were  licensed  to  preach  :  H.  A.  Dech,  J.  G.  Rosenberger, 
F.  G.  Borkey,  F.  G.  Danzer,  Chas.  H.  Wagoner,  Horace  L 
Yeakel,  John  L.  Gruber,  A.  G.  Boyer,  Oliver  A.  Yehl  and 
William  H.  Alspach.  Deacon's  orders  were  granted  C.  D. 
Huber,  N.  S.  Hawk  and  H.  C.  Aroh,  and  Elder's  orders  to 
J.  K.  Freed,  Thomas  Knecht,  A.  W.  Brownmiller,  A.  M. 
Sweigert,  J.  S.  Heisler  and  C.  W.  Heffner.  Jos.  Boothby 
withdrew  and  J.  H.  Woehrle  was  again  received. 


614 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


1896.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Newberry  (Williamsport), 
Pa.,  March  3.  R.  Dubs,  president ;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary. 
G.  R.  Stover,  W.  I.  Shambach,  Chas.  W.  Shambacher,  Chas. 
Redeker,  H.  C.  Stover,  L.  M.  Dice,  H.  A.  Kiess,  F.  M. 
Seitz,  W.  J.  Christ,  A.  A.  Winter  and  L.  C.  Hunt  were  li- 
censed to  preach.  Deacon's  orders  were  granted  to  C.  W. 
HipPLE,  I.  E.  Spangler,  F.  H.  Foss,  G.  W.  Heiney,  E.  B. 
Dunn  and  C.  F.  Fry,  and  Elder's  orders  to  M.  A.  Kennelly, 
W.  B.  Cox,  J.  G.  Whitmire  and  J.  H.  Furner.  J.  D.  Leister 
withdrew  and  W.  M.  Sanner  was  received. 

1896.  Pittsburg  Conference,  Salisbury,  Pa.,  March  12. 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  Q.  A.  Curry,  secretary.  J.  H.  Wise 
was  licensed  to  preach.  C.  H.  Stewart  and  M.  E.  Borger 
were  granted  Deacon's  and  J.  G.  Wise  Elder's  orders.  J.  W- 
DoMER  and  Theo.  Bach  were  reelected  presiding  elders.  J.  W. 
Domer  was  appointed  to  Allegheny,  B.  F.  Feitt  to  Franklin,  and 
T.  Bach  to  Somerset  District. 

1896.  Illinois  Conference,  Davis,  111.,  April  9th,  W.  M. 
Stanford,  president;  S.  F.  Entorf,  secretary;  W.  W.  Un- 
derkoffler,  Emanuel  Eller  and  J.  F.  VanEvera,  were  li- 
censed to  preach  ;  J.  Eller  and  J.  D.  Klopp  were  advanced  to 
Deacon's,  and  B.  F.  Ludy,  J.  H.  GAMBERand  B.  R.  ScHULTZEto 
Elder's  orders.  Henry  Schneider,  of  Michigan,  was  received. 
W.  H.  FouKE,  F.  BussE  and  E.  K.  Yeakel  were  elected  pre- 
siding elders.  The  districts  were  assigned  as  follows  :  Chi- 
cago, F.  BussE  ;  Naperville,  E.  K.  Yeakel  ;  Freeport,  W.  H. 
Fouke  ;  Southern,  A.  Haefele. 

1896.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Lafayette,  Iowa,  March 
26th,  W.  M.  Stanford,  president  ;  S.  A.  Walton,  secretary  ; 
P.  Hahn,  Jacob  Schupp,  F,  A.  Shmalle  and  E.  Wilson  were 
licensed  to  preach.  Elder's  orders  were  granted  to  H.  F. 
Strayfeler  and  John  Sass  ;  P.  Schmidt  and  J.  A.  Haehlen,  of 
the  Illinois  Conference,  were  received  as  probationers ;  L. 
Stauffacher  returned  his  credentials  ;  C.  A.  Rabing,  of  the 
Oregon  Conference,  H.  Ohs,  W.  F.  Schwerin,  and  G.  Bern- 
hart,  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  were  admitted. 

1896.  Platte  River  Conference,  Ebenezer  church.  Clay 
county,  Kansas,  March  12th,  W.  M.  Stanford,  president; 
T.  W.  Serf,  secretary  ;  D.  Baine  and  Asbury  Esley  were 
licensed  to  preach  ;  W.  D.  Morga  was  received  in  the  local 
relation  ;     S.   B.   Dillow  was  again  and  M.  T.   Maze  was 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


615 


newly  elected  presiding  elders  and  stationed,  the  former  on 
Blue  Springs  and  the  latter  on  Kearney  District ;  H.  L.  Price, 
Freeman  Devol  and  George  Stinson  were  granted  Deacon's, 
and  F.  L.  Mason  Elder's  orders. 

1896.  Oregon  Conference,  Salem,  Oregon,  April  4th.  R. 
Dubs,  president ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary  ;  C.  T.  Crow  was  li 
censed  to  preach  ;  B.  Hartm^n,  E.  E.  McVicar  and  C.  A.  Rar- 
ing were  granted  Deacon's,  and  T.  L.  Weaver  Elder's  orders  ; 
C.  A.  Raring  took  credentials  for  the  Des  Moines  Conference  ; 
M.  J.  Ballentyne,  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 

1896.  Ohio  Conference,  Carey,  Ohio,  Sept.  17th.  R. 
Dubs,  president;  J.  R.  Schweisberger,  secretary;  Jesse 
Stoke,  N.  W,  Sager,  H.  A.  Hensel  and  A.  W.  Smith  were 
licensed  to  preach  ;  H.  Victor  Summers  was  granted  Deacon's, 
and  W.  Elmer  Bailey,  J.  H.  Elder  and  C.  M.  Kauffman,  El- 
der's orders.  The  presiding  elder  districts  were  consolidated 
into  one,  and  S.  E.  Rife  was  newly  elected  presiding  elder  and 
placed  upon  the  conference  district. 

Notes. — This  was  a  year  of  great  prosperity  for  the  church, 
and  all  her  enterprises  were  richly  blessed  of  God.  With  the 
opening  of  the  year  the  Evangelische  Zeitschrift  was  issued  from 
the  Publishing  House.  The  Missionary  Tidings  appeared  in  an 
enlarged  form,  and  the  German  Hymn  Book  was  issued. 

The  borders  of  the  church  were  considerably  enlarged,  es- 
pecially in  Minnesota,  where  several  new  fields  of  labor  were 
formed.  This  latter  success  was  chiefly  owing  to  the  following 
circumstances  :  In  1895  there  was  held  a  Lay  Convention  at 
East  Prairie,  Minn.,  under  the  auspices  of  four  adjacent 
charges  of  the  Evangelical  Association,  for  the  purpose  of 
taking  some  action  against  the  farcical  trial  of  Rev.  H.  Linse, 
and  other  matters  of  importance  to  the  laity.  Rev.  H.  Ohs, 
who  had  been  selected  to  preach  a  sermon  before  the  conven- 
tion, was  objected  to  by  the  pastor  of  East  Prairie,  who  made 
many  groundless  accusations  against  him.  This  greatly  dis- 
pleased the  laymen,  and  charges  were  preferred  by  one  of  them 
against  the  accusing  minister  who  in  a  partisan  trial  was  ex- 
OQorated.  This  manifest  travesty  of  justice  opened  the  eyes  of 
the  laity,  and  many  determined  to  withdraw  from  the  Evangel- 
ical Association.  Bishop  Dubs  was  sent  for,  who,  owing  to 
his  inability  to  be  present,  sent  W.  Jonas,  of  the  Des  Moines 
Conference.    Jonas  arrived  at  Nerstrand,  Minn.,  on  New  Year, 


616 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


and  on  January  4th  organized  two  classes.  The  outcome  of 
the  matter  was  that  Rev.  H.  Ohs  withdrew  from  the  Evangel- 
ical Association  and  connected  himself  with  the  United  Evan- 
gelical Church,  and  near  the  close  of  January  took  charge  of 
the  new  work.  ^Morristown  was  also  taken  up  and  a  church 
building  was  at  once  begun.  On  July  12th,  Bishop  Dubs  dedi- 
cated the  Nerstrand,  and  on  the^gth,  the  Morristown  church. 
Urgent  appeals  came  from  many  promising  places  for  preach- 
ing by  our  ministers,  but  the  church  could  do  little  more  than 
arrange  for  an  early  supply  of  the  places.  In  October,  Jonas 
for  the  first  time  visted  Odessa,  Minn.,  and  arranged  for  the 
establishment  of  the  work  in  that  place.  In  January  he  also 
visited  Wakefield,  Hoskins  and  Pierce,  Nebraska,  and  arranged 
for  the  permanent  occupation  of  these  places.  The  visit  of 
Bishop  Dubs  to  Minnesota  in  July  produced  a  most  salutary 
effect  upon  the  church  in  that  state.  Besides  the  places  al- 
ready mentioned,  he  preached  in  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis,  Ken- 
yon  and  Blue  Earth  City,  Minn. 

Memorials. — The  following  ministers  passed  to  their  re- 
ward during  the  year  : 

L.  ScoBERT,  local,  Oregon,  Feb.  i8th,  aged  59;  A.  S. 
Klike,  retired,  Allentown,  Pa.,  May  2d,  aged  36;  En  Hahn, 
itinerant,  Ida  county,  Iowa,  April  21st,  aged  28  ;  George 
Hassenpflug,  retired,  Cleveland,  O.,  July  23d,  (See  Biog.); 
Thomas  Seebolt,  retired,  Lansdale,  Pa.,  Sept.  9th,  aged  86  ; 
T.  L.  Weaver,  itinerant,  Dayton,  Ore.,  Sept.,  26th,  aged  26; 
R.  R.  VanMeter,  retired,  Somerset,  Pa.,  aged  50;  A.  L.  Er- 
iSMAN,  itinerant,  Kutztown,  Pa.,  Oct.  21st,  aged  34. 

1897.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Allentown,  Pa.,  Feb.  25th. 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  J.  H.  Shirev,  secretary  ;  W.  H.  Snyder, 
J.  S.  Harper,  Ammon  S.  Miller,  I.  E.  Johnson,  Walter  J. 
Dech,  S.  G.  Hass,  Daniel  P.  Longsdorf,  Joseph  H.  Illick 
and  Harry  A.  Neitz  were  licensed  to  preach  ;  William  J. 
Sheifley  was  advanced  to  Deacon's,  and  E.  H.  Kistler  andS. 
H.  Chubb  to  Elder's  orders;  E.  S.  Woodring  and  A.  G.  Mus- 
selman,  probationers,  were  transferred  to  other  conferences  ; 
George  Ott,  Henry  Horn  and  P.  A.  Glantz,  elders,  and 
William  J.  Ebert  and  A.  H.  Martin  were  received  into  the 
local  relation  from  other  denominations;  Prof.  C.  A.  Bowman, 
of  the  Oregon  Conference,  was  admitted,  and  C.  Bliem  was 
regularly  added  to  the  list  of  preachers. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  617 


1897,  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  March  4th. 
W.  M.  Stanford,  president;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary;  W. 
W.  Stittler,  H.  a.  Snook,  J.  B.  Meloy,  O.  W.  Reichly,  J.  H. 
Newhouser,  C.  C.  Johnson,  A.  Sunday,  C.  W.  Guinter, 
James  F.  Hower  and  George  L.  Lovell  were  licensed  to 
preach  ;  A.  D.  Gramly,  W.  N.  Fulcomer  and  M.  T.  Crouch 
were  advanced  to  Deacon's,  and  D.  F.  Young,  E.  Fulcomer, 
I.  N.  Bair  and  F.  F.  Mayer  to  Elder's  orders. 

1897.  Pittsburg  Conference,  South  Fork,  Pa.,  March 
iith,  W.  M.  Stanford,  president  ;  J.  Q.  A.  Curry,  secretary; 
C.  L.  Keilheffer,  a  probationer,  was  again,  and  A.  S.  Mus- 
SELMAN,  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  was  newly  received  ;  S. 
H.  Barlett  and  L.  O.  Worman  were  licensed  to  preach  ;  F. 
C.  Hetrick  and  Wilson  Lewis  were  granted  Deacon's,  and  A. 
F.  Berkey  and  D.  L.  Yoder  Elder's  orders. 

1897.  Illinois  Conference,  Geneseo,  111.,  April  8th,  R. 
Dubs,  president ;  S.  F.  Entorf,  secretary  ;  W.  B.  McCray 
was  granted  credentials  ;  C.  A.  Waltz  and  M.  Speck  were  ad- 
mitted ;  E.  LaRosh,  p.  G.  Ludwig,  W.  B.  McCray,  G.  F. 
Rassweiler,  a.  C.  Huffman  and  Leon  Boozer  were  licensed 
to  preach  ;  E.  G.  Knapp,  G.  O.  Rife  and  Eugene  Fuessele 
were  ordained  as  Deacons,  and  H.  C.  Stephan  as  Elder. 

1897.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Belle  Plaine,  la.,  March 
22d,  W.  M.  Stanford,  president,  E.  B.  Utt,  secretary  ;  W.  J. 
Hahn  and  C.  A.  Mueller  were  granted  credentials ;  E.  J. 
Wicks  withdrew ;  J.  C.  Bender,  John  Meyerhoff,  J.  P.  Gra- 
ham and  George  Herrick  were  licensed  to  preach  ;  M.  J. 
Randall,  Karl  Kaupp,  P.  Schmidt,  F.  Knuth  and  D.  L. 
Hauck  were  ordained  Deacons. 

1897.  Platte  River  Conference,  Cozad,  Neb.,  March 
iith,  R.  Dubs,  president;  T.  W.  Serf,  secretary;  R.  A.  Pat- 
terson withdrew,  and  N.  J.  Kirkpatrick  took  credentials ; 
Jacob  Fresch,  C.  F.  Beller,  John  Skinner  and  Ralph 
Grosser  were  licensed  to  preach ;  W.  R.  Gill,  A.  P.  Layton, 
J.  B.  WoLFORD,  Ira  McBride,  E.  W.  Brooker,  Henry  Wood 
and  W.  B.  Maze  were  advanced  to  Deacon's  orders. 

In  conformity  with  the  terms  of  settlement  made  by  the  re- 
spective attorneys  of  the  two  rival  Platte  River  Conferences  of 
the  Evangelical  Association,  this  conference  renounced  its 
ecclesiastical  connection  with  the  Association,  and  formally  be- 


618 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS 


came  in  fact,  what  it  had  hitherto  been  in  spirit,  the  Platte 
River  Conference  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church. 

T.  W.  Serf  and  L.  C.  Brooker  having  been  sent  out,  the 
former  to  Illinois  and  the  latter  to  Pennsylvania,  to  solicit 
funds  in  aid  of  needy  churches  of  this  conference,  suitable  res- 
olutions of  thanks  were  adopted.  Brooker  was  again  sent  East 
to  continue  the  canvass  for  funds,  and  by  his  efforts  many 
weak  churches  received  timely  financial  help. 

1897.  Oregon  Conference,  Corvallis,  Ore.,  April  23d, 
R.  Dubs,  president;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary;  E.  D.  Farns- 
WORTH  withdrew  ;  F.  J.  Strayer  took  credentials  ;  N.  W.  Sa- 
GER,  of  the  Ohio,  and  H.  Dech,  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference, 
were  admitted  ;  W.  C.  Smith  was  licensed  to  preach  ;  B.  J. 
Kelly  was  granted  Elder's  orders;  M.  J.  Ballentyne,  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  conference  district. 

1897.  Ohio  Conference,  Canton,  O.,  Sept.  23d,  W.  M. 
Stanford,  president ;  J.  H.  Schweisberger,  secretary  ;  W.  J. 
Schmalle,  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  was  received ;  W.  A. 
HoucK  and  Charles  T.  Hurd  were  licensed  to  preach  ;  M.  M. 
Rader  was  granted  Deacon's  and  G.  A.  Smith,  Elder's  orders  ; 
S.  E.  Rife,  presiding  elder  of  the  conference  district. 

Notes. — The  course  of  events  in  the  church  was,  this  year, 
marked  by  many  evidences  of  divine  favor.  On  May  2 2d, 
Bishop  R.  Dubs,  as  fraternal  delegate  of  the  church,  appeared 
before  the  General  Conference  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ 
and  delivered  an  address  which  was  warmly  received  and  his 
sentiments  were  reciprocated  as  in  the  olden  days  when  Bishop 
Newcomer  was  wont  to  visit  the  "Albright  Brethren,"  as  de- 
tailed in  the  earlier  part  of  this  work. 

In  the  latter  part  of  July  the  English  Hymn  Book  left  the 
press,  giving  great  delight  and  satisfaction. 

The  church  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  two  of  her 
strongest  pillars,  in  the  person  of  M.  J.  Carothers,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  D.  B.  Byers,  of  Illinois,  both  of  whom  had 
borne  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  re-organization  of  the  church 
on  the  old  foundations  of  the  fathers. 

The  lines  of  the  church  were  materially  advanced,  espec- 
ially in  the  Northwest.  On  April  30th,  W.  Jonas,  the  pioneer 
presiding  elder  of  this  region,  arrived  at  Big  Stone  City,  South 
Dakota,  being  the  first  United  Evangelical  preacher  to  carry 
the  banner  of  the  church  to  that  state.    On  this  same  tour  he 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


619 


visited  Odessa,  Minn.,  where  he  preached,  organized  a  class 
and  arranged  for  the  building  of  a  church.  H.  Borchard  was 
soon  thereafter  sent  there  as  a  missionary.  In  June,  Jonas 
visited  Armour,  S.  D.,  and  gathered  the  scattered  Evangelicals 
of  that  region  into  a  class. 

In  September,  Bishop  Dubs  visited  Minnesota  and  dedi- 
cated the  new  church  at  Odessa  on  the  12th,  and  that  of  Slay- 
ton  on  the  19th  of  that  month. 

Memorials. — The  following  ministers  died  during  the  year: 
L.  N.  WoRMAN,  retired,  at  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  Jan.  8th,  aged  66 
years;  Andrew  Zeigenfuss,  retired,  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  Jan.  21st, 
aged  76  years;  Ferdinand  Smith,  itinerant,  Millersburg,  Pa., 
Feb.  nth,  aged  50  years;  John  Wagoner,  retired,  Laporte, 
Iowa,  Feb.  12th,  aged  84  years;  Martin  J.  Carothers,  retired, 
Newville,  Pa.,  March  i8th,  aged  72  years,  (See  Biog. );  D.  B. 
Byers,  retired,  Naperville,  111.,  July  2d,  (See  Biog.);  H.  M. 
Liebhart,  itinerant,  Glennville,  Nebr.,  June  28th,  aged  54 
years;  Professor  Otis  L.  Jacobs,  York,  Pa.,  Sept.  29th,  aged 
35  years;  Wm.  Shuler,  itinerant,  Mt.  Joy,  Pa.,  Sept.  26th, 
aged  36  years;  G.  L.  Burson,  retired,  Tunkhannock,  Pa., 
Nov.  — ,  aged  37  years;  Chas.  Idleman,  retired,  Fostoria,  Ohio, 
Dec.  26th,  aged  86  years;  Joseph  Buzzard,  retired,  Alburnett, 
Iowa,  Dec.  26th,  aged  78  years. 

1898.  East  Pa.  Conference,  Pottsville,  Pa.,  Feb.  24th, 
W.  M.  Stanford,  president ;  J.  H.  Shirey,  secretary ;  H.  A. 
Dech,  G.  Danzer,  W.  E.  Ebert,  H.  C.  Aroh,  and  J.  W. 
Woehrley,  were  granted  credentials.  The  following  were  li- 
censed to  preach :  Wm.  Rhoda,  Jerome  Garr,  H.  S.  Landis, 
Wm.  J.  Eby,  H.  P,  Hagner,  H.  J.  Kline,  D.  H.  Gottschalk, 
and  Thomas  Maternas.  Deacon's  orders  were  granted  to 
Henry  Heppler,  J.  B.  Ehrhart,  A.  G.  Royer,  E.  H.  Hart- 
enstein,  Edgar  E.  Stauffer,  H.  C.  Lutz,  and  Dr.  C.  A.  Bow- 
man, and  Elder's  orders  to  C.  D.  Huber,  L.  O.  Wiest,  H.  C. 
Arch,  W.  L.  Teel,  and  W.  J.  Edleman. 

1898.  Central  Pa.  Conference,  Hughsville,  Pa.,  March 
3d,  R.  Dubs,  president;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary;  S.  A.  Snyder, 
J.  H.  Rider,  J.  T.  Pettit,  W.  J.  Dice,  John  M.  Price,  F.  E. 
Fisher,  and  J.  H.  Maice,  were  licensed  to  preach.  Deacon's 
orders  were  granted  to  L.  M.  Dice,  R.  E.  Wilson,  J.  O.  Biggs, 
W.  M.  Sanner,  U.  G.  Seifert,  and  N.  J.  Dubs,  and  Elder's 
orders  to  E.  B.  Dunn,  F.  H.  Foss,  C.  W.  Hipple,  and  I.  E. 


620 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Spangler.  W.  H.  W.  Gross  withdrew  irregularly  W.  E.  Det- 
wiLER,  presiding  elder  of  Williamsport  District,  was  elected 
financial  agent  of  Central  Pennsylvania  College,  whereupon  he 
resigned  the  former  office,  and  E.  Crumbling  was  elected  to  the 
same  and  assigned  to  that  district. 

1898.  Pittsburg  Conference,  DuBois,  Pa.,  March  loth,  R. 
Dubs,  president ;  J.  Q.  A.  Curry,  secretary ;  Vinton  Car- 
many,  M.  B.  Kelly,  D.  K.  Miller,  Daniel  Berkey,  G.  C. 
McDowell,  and  T.  J.  Barlett  received  license  to  preach.  H. 
B.  Seese,  J.  C.  Powell,  S.  M.  Cousins,  and  S.  H.  Barlett 
were  granted  Deacon's,  and  S.  H.  Steward,  G.  W.  Imboden, 
and  M.  E.  Borger,  Elder's  orders  ;  J.  Esch  withdrew.  J.  Q. 
A.  Curry  and  J.  J.  Carmany  were  elected  presiding  elders. 
The  districts  were  assigned  as  follows :  Allegheny,  J.  W.  Domer  ; 
Franklin,  J.  J.  Carmany  ;  Somerset,  J.  Q.  A.  Curry. 

1898.  Illinois  Conference,  Stockton,  111.,  March  24th,  W. 
M.  Stanford,  president ;  W.  Caton,  secretary ;  W.  R.  Mar- 
shall was  licensed  to  preach.  Deacon's  orders  were  granted  E. 
S.  WooDRiNG,  J.  F.  VanEvera,  Emanuel  Eller,  W.  W.  Un- 
derkoffler,  and  L.  C.  Schmidt.  Elders  to  J.  G.  Eller.  W. 
J  Schmalle  withdrew.  H.  W.  Beightol  took  credentials.  W. 
Caton  was  elected  financial  agent  for  the  prospective  college. 
H.  Schneider  was  newly  elected  to  the  office  of  presiding  elder, 
and  the  districts  were  assigned  as  follows  :  Chicago,  F.  Busse  ; 
Naperville,  E.  K.  Yeakel;  Freeport,  W.  H.  Fouke  ;  Southern, 
H.  Schneider. 

1898.  Des  Moines  Conference,  Zearing,  Iowa,  March  31st, 
R.  Dubs,  president;  E.  B.  Utt,  secretary;  C.  A.  Thompson, 
L.  H.  Wood,  P.  N.  Liddell,  Arthur  B.  Morris,  Gerhart 
HuELSEBus,  H.  C.Weiland,  Aug.  Thuran,  J.  A.  Harris,  Aaron 
Ferch,  and  Carl  Affroth  were  granted  license  to  preach.  J. 
Bamford,  G.  W.  Thompson,  F.  A.  Schmalle,  J.  D.  Klooz, 
and  J.  Haehnlan  were  advanced  to  Deacon's,  and  C.  A.  Ras- 
ing to  Elder's  order.  S.  A.  Walton  withdrew.  A.  L.  Golden 
took  credentials.  H.  C.  Aroh,  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  and 
J.  J.  DeWall,  a.  Walch,  E.  Wilson,  and  J.  G.  Waltz,  of 
other  denominations  were  admitted  into  conference.  J.  E. 
Stauffacher  and  G.  W.  Mullen  were  elected  to  the  office  of 
presiding  elder.  The  districts  were  assigned  as  follows  :  Cedar 
Rapids,  G.  W.  Mullen  ;  Des  Moines,  J.  E.  Stauffacher  ;  Le- 
Mars,  W.  Jonas  ;  Ackley,  F.  Belzer. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


621 


1898.  Platte  River  Conference,  Alma,  Nebr.,  March  lylh, 
R.  Dubs,  president ;  T.  W.  Serf,  secretary ;  J.  Haldeman  took 
credentials.  W.  R.  Geil  withdrew.  Wm.  Eby,  of  the  East  Pa. 
Conference,  and  J.  M.  Hamon  and  S.  L.  Linsey  were  admitted. 
J.  L.  Beebe,  Benj.  Hilliar,  A.  E.  Miller,  C.  C.  Talbot  and 
Charles  Taylor  were  granted  license  to  preach.  A.  Esley, 
and  J.  M.  Runcie  were  advanced  to  Deacon's,  and  H.  L.  Price, 
and  F.  Devol  to  Elder's  orders. 

1898.  Oregon  Conference,  Portland,  Ore.,  April  14th,  W. 
M.  Stanford,  president ;  C.  C.  Poling,  secretary  ;  G.  J.  Cole- 
man, returned  to  the  East;  Guy  Phelps  was  admitted;  S.  M. 
Woods  was  licensed  to  preach  ;  C.  T.  Crow  was  granted  Deacon's 
and  Benjamin  Hartman  and  E.  E.  McVicar  Elder's  orders. 

1898.  Ohio  Conference,  Greensburg,  O.,  Sept.  22d,  W. 
M.  Stanford,  president ;  J.  H.  Schweisberger,  secretary  ; 
N.  W.  Sager,  of  the  Oregon  Conference,  was  received ;  H.  A. 
Hensel,  R.  W.  Sager  and  A.  W.  Smith  were  advanced  to  Dea- 
con's, and  H.  Victor  Summers  to  Elder's  orders. 

Notes.  —  Many  noteworthy  events  mark  the  progress  of  the 
year.  Many  glorious  revivals  were  reported,  one  of  which,  at 
Carlisle,  Pa.,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  M.  F.  Fosselman, 
resulted  in  nearly  350  conversions. 

Great  progress  was  made  along  educational  lines.  Albright 
Collegiate  Institute  was  advanced  to  a  college  grade.  W.  E. 
Detwiler,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  was  placed  in  the 
field  to  solicit  endowment  funds  for  Central  Pa.  College,  while 
W.  Caton,  of  the  Illinois,  was  sent  out  in  the  interests  of  a 
prospective  educational  institution  in  the  West. 

The  church  continued  to  extend  her  borders  in  many  quar- 
ters, and  many  accessions  were  reported  in  Oregon ;  the  South 
Indiana  Conference,  and  the  North  West.  In  February  Wil- 
liam Jonas  visited  Redwood  Falls  and  Renville,  Minn.,  and  es- 
tablished the  United  Evangelical  work  in  that  region. 

On  July  loth,  Bishop  Dubs  dedicated  the  first  church  of  our 
denomination  in  the  state  of  North  Dakota  at  Big  Stone  City. 
Another  church  was  dedicated  on  Odessa  Mission,  Minn.,  July 
17th,  and  one  at  Lake  Wilson,  Minn.,  Nov.  13th.  * 

*Ia  the  month  of  December  Presiding  Elder  Jonas  for  the  first  time  visited 
the  region  contiguous  to  Paynesville  and  St.  Cloud,  Minn.,  preaching  with  great 
success.  A  large  number  of  people  being  desirous  of  the  permanent  establish- 
ment of  the  United  Evangelical  Church  in  that  region,  Jonas  app)ointed  Rev. 
Thomas  Koch  to  take  charge  of  the  work. 


622 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


E.  B.  EsHER,  attorney-in-chief  of  the  Evangelical  Associa- 
tion, having  repudiated  the  settlement  made  between  the  attor 
neys  and  representative  of  the  hitherto  rival  Platte  River  Con- 
ferences of  the  Evangelical  Association  a  new  agreement  was 
entered  into  on  March  24th,  of  this  year,  whereby  the  ecclesi- 
astical status  of  each  was  finally  adjudicated. 

Memorials. — The  sainted  dead  of  this  year  embrace  several 
notable  names,  among  them  was  the  most  prolific  author  of  the 
church,  J.  Kaechele,  and  Jacob  Savlor,  the  oldest  minister  of 
the  church,  who  entered  the  work  in  1834.  He  was  a  brother 
of  Rev.  J  M.  Savlor,  and  one  of  the  fruits  of  the  great  Or- 
wigsburg  revival  of  182 1  : 

H.  R.  Price,  retired,  died  Jan.  9th,  Oregon,  Mo.,  aged  73 
years  ;  J.  Kaechele,  itinerent,  died  Jan.  27th,  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
(See  Biog. )  ;  Joseph  Snavely,  local,  died  Feb.  14th,  Yorkanna, 
Pa.,  aged  85  years;  F.  L.  Mason,  itinerant,  died  March  20th, 
Kearney,  Neb.,  aged  39  years  ;  Jacob  Savlor,  retired,  died 
May  7th,  Naperville,  111.,  aged  92  years;  E.  H.  Hartenstein, 
itinerant,  died  Aug.  27th,  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  aged  23  years;  Dr. 
J.  C.  Bowman,  local,  died  Aug.  9th,  Girard,  O.,  aged  79  years  ; 
Noah  Doebler,  retired,  Snyder  county.  Pa.,  died  Oct.  29th, 
aged  74  years;  H.  H.  Bair,  retired,  Austin,  111.,  died  Nov. 
26th,  aged  72  years. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


The  Second  General   Conference,  Held  at  Johnstown, 

Pa.,  1898. 

1898.  The  second  General  Conference  convened  in  the 
Trinity  United  Evangelical  church,  in  Johnstown,  Pa.,  Oct. 
6th,  1898.  Bishops  R.  Dubs  and  W.  M.  Stanford  presided, 
and  U.  F.  Swengel  was  secretary.  There  were  seated,  besides 
the  bishops,  thirty-nine  ministerial  delegates  and  two  alter- 
nates, and  thirty  lay  delegates  and  six  alternates  ;  a  total  mem- 
bership of  seventy-nine.  Bishop  Dubs  read  the  episcopal  mes- 
sage, which  was  the  first  in  the  history  of  the  church.  It  was 
a  very  comprehensive  document,  and  gave  a  lucid  review  of 
the  struggles  and  triumphs  of  the  church  during  the  past  four 
years,  with  many  valuable  suggestions  which  were  referred  to 
the  various  committees. 

Fraternal  Delegates. — Dr.  I.  L.  Kephart,  editor  of  the 
Religious  Telescope  and  fraternal  delegate  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren in  Christ  to  this  body,  appeared  before  the  conference  and 
delivered  an  inspiring  address,  which  was  responded  to  by 
Bishop  R.  Dubs.  H.  B.  Hartzler  was  chosen  to  represent 
this  body  at  the  next  session  of  the  General  Conference  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ. 

Memorials. — The  death  of  M.  J.  Carothers,  H.  Roh- 
land,  J.  M.  Ettinger,  D.  B.  Byers  and  J.  Kaechele,  minis- 
ters, and  Prof.  O.  L.  Jacobs  and  W.  P.  Huber,  laymen,  was 
reported,  and  impressive  services  were  held  in  their  memory. 

Ecumenical  Council. — In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  third 
Ecumenical  Council  of  Methodism  is  announced  to  meet  in 
London  in  the  year  1901,  and  our  church  having  received  a 
cordial  invitation  to  participate.  Bishops  R.  Dubs,  W.  M. 
Stanford,  and  U.  F.  Swengel  were  constituted  a  committee 
to   arrange    for  our  proper  representation  in  that  Council. 

623 


€•24 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Bishop  R.  Dubs  was  made  the  delegate  to  the  Ecumenical 
Methodist  Conference  to  meet  in  London  in  1901,  and  Bishop 
W.  M.  Stanford  was  made  the  alternate. 

Boundaries. — LeMars  and  Ackley  districts  of  the  Des 
Moines  Conference  were  detached  therefrom  and  constituted 
the  Northwestern  Conference.  Provision  was  also  made  for 
the  formation  of  another,  to  be  called  the  Kansas  Conference, 
by  detaching  a  part  of  the  Platte  River  Conference  at  such 
time  as  may  be  agreed  upon  by  the  bishops  and  the  latter  con- 
ference. South  Cleveland  Mission  of  the  Ohio,  was  added 
to  the  Illinois  Conference. 

Missions. — A  deep  and  universal  desire  throughout  the 
church  for  the  establishing  of  a  mission  among  the  heathen, 
found  expression  in  a  resolution  for  its  immediate  consumma- 
tion. To  the  Board  of  Missions  was  committed  this  great  un- 
dertaking, and  they  were  instructed  to  carry  out  the  desire  of 
the  church  just  as  soon  as  financial  and  other  conditions  would 
warrant  the  success  of  the  project. 

Books  and  Publishing  Interests. — The  report  of  the  pub- 
lisher disclosed  a  rapid  development  of  the  publishing  inter- 
ests of  the  church.  The  plant  of  the  Evangelical  Publishing 
Company  at  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  was  acquired  in  1895  at  a  cost  of 
$16,000,  although  its  actual  value  was  twice  that  sum.  Ad- 
ditional property  adjoining  the  plant  had  also  been  purchased  ; 
the  publishing  house  had  been  enlarged  ;  new  printing  presses 
and  other  costly  machinery  had  been  added,  so  that  the  estab- 
lishment is  now  very  complete  and  valuable.  A  full  line  of 
church  literature  is  published  in  both  the  English  and  German 
languages.  The  conference  provided  for  an  English  Catechism 
by  the  appointment  of  a  committee  consisting  of  four  minis- 
ters, who  were  authorized  to  make  a  selection  of,  and  adopt 
one  of  several  manuscripts  presented,  or  themselves  prepare 
one  for  immediate  publication. 

A  new  and  very  comprehensive  Course  of  Study  for  minis- 
ters was  adopted,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  whom  was  en- 
trusted the  preparation  of  a  German  Course  as  soon  as  prac- 
ticable. The  Keystone  League  of  Christian  Endeavor  Depos- 
itory, hitherto  located  at  Reading,  Pa.,  was  tendered  to,  and 
accepted  by  the  General  Conference  under  favorable  condi- 
tions, thus  completing  the  unification  of  all  the  publishing  in- 
terests of  the  church  under  her  immediate  control. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


625 


The  Discipline  was  thoroughly  revised  and  corrected,  the 
principal  additions  being  a  section  on  "Bible  Study"  and 
another  on  "Evangelists." 

Statistics. — The  report  of  the  statistician  indicated  a  re- 
markable advancement  along  all  lines  of  church  work,  some 
items  showing  a  progress  above  the  average  of  any  other  de- 
nomination. The  membership  was  reported  as  59,190,  a  gain 
of  8,950  in  three  years.  Some  other  items  were  as  follows: 
Itinerant  preachers,  426  ;  local  preachers,  214  ;  churches,  634  ; 
parsonages,  145  ;  Sunday-schools,  784  ;  officers  and  teachers, 
1.0,602;  scholars,  74,651;  K.  L.  C.  E.  Societies,  427;  active 
members,  15,170;  Junior  Societies,  109:  membership,  2,667; 
Woman's  Missionary  Societies,  168;  membership,  3,532; 
Junior  Societies,  15  ;  membership,  465  ;  Mission  Bands,  90  ; 
membership,  2,917. 

Church  Extension. — A  Church  Extension  Society  was  or- 
ganized, and  a  constitution  adopted.  J.  G.  Mohn,  W.  E.  Det- 
wiLER,  J.  W.  DoMER,  B.  H.  NiEBEL  and  T.  L.  Haines  were 
elected  as  trustees  of  the  same. 

Officials  Elected. — The  following  church  officers  were 
elected  for  the  coming  quadrennium  :  Bishops,  R.  Dubs  and 
W.  M.  Stanford  ;  publisher,  S.  L.  Wiest  ;  editor  of  Evan- 
gelical, H.  B.  Hartzler  ;  editor  of  the  Evangelische  Zeitschrift, 
C.  N.  Dubs  ;  statistician,  B.  H.  Niebel  ;  Board  of  Publica- 
tion, S.  S.  Chubb,  J.  G.  Mohn,  W.  E.  Detwiler,  I.  Bower, 
J.  W.  Domer,  H.  p.  Crouse,  W.  Jonas,  T.  L.  Haines,  B.  H. 
Niebel  and  H.  L.  Lomax. 

Board  of  Missions. — President,  S.  L.  Wiest;  secretary, 
U.  F.  Swengel;  treasurer,  J.  G.  Mohn;  corresponding  secre- 
tary, W.  F.  Heil. 

K.  L.  C.  E.  Board  of  Managers. — F.  J.  Bover,  U.  F. 
Swengel,  J.  Q.  A.  Curry,  S.  G.  Domer,  W.  H.  Fouke,  J.  S. 
Bartley,  J.  H.  Mayne,  A.  L.  Keenan  and  G.  S.  Smith. 

Delegates — East  Pa.  Conference. — Clerical,  B.  J.  Smoyer, 
A.  M.  Sampsel,  a.  M.  Stirk,  C.  S.  Haman,  J.  D.  Woodring, 
W.  F.  Heil,  S.  S.  Chubb,  J.  H.  Shirey  and  G.  W.  Gross*; 
laymen,  A.  S.  Beisel,  A.  C.  Nolf,  J.  G.  Mohn,  B.  K.  Kehler, 
John  Hendel,  W.  Litzenberger,  R.  W.  Bard,  W.  G.  Borg- 

NER.* 

Central  Pa.  Conference. — Clerical,  U.  F.  Swengel,  W. 
E.  Detwiler,  E.  Crumbling,  N.  Young,  A.  Stapleton,  A.  E. 


•26 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


Gobble,  J.  W.  Messenger,  H.  W.  Buck,  S.  P.  Remer,  A.  H. 
Irvine*  ;  laymen,  I.  S.  Frain,  J.  S.  Anstine,  G.  W.  Thomas, 
I.  Bower,  Charles  Shaffer,  W.  A.  Morris,*  J.  S.  Hetrick.* 

Pittsburg  Conference. — Clerical,  J.  J.  Carmany,  J.  W.  Do- 
mer,  J.  Q.  A.  Curry,  B.  F.  Feitt,  A.  J.  Bird  ;  laymen,  J.  S. 
KiMMEL,  D.  Lavely,  F.  p.  Hetrick,  J.  Troutman. 

Ohio  Conference. — Clerical,  S.  E.  Rife,  L.  M.  Boyer  ;  lay- 
men, D.  Z.  Herr,  R.  M.  Burkett. 

Illinois  Conference. — Clerical,  W.  H.  Fouke,  E.  K.  Yeakel, 
F.  Busse,  H.  Schneider,  A.  Haefele,  W.  Caton,  S.  F.  En- 
TORF ;  laymen,  J.  Strickfaden,  I.  J.  Vogelgesang,  H.  Meisel, 
S.  Senneff,  D.  B.  Givler,  B.  H.  Sodt*,  H.  H.  Lichten- 
walner.* 

Des  Moines  Conference. — Clerical,  W.  Jonas,  B.  H.  Niebel, 
J.  E.  Stauffacher,  Emil  Mueller,  G.  W.  Mullen  ;  laymen, 
N.  R.  Clift,  E.  E.  Hoover,  O.  F.  Henkel,  J.  Spies,  G. 
Nicholas. 

Platte  River  Conference. — Clerical,  S.  B.  Dillow,  M.  T. 
Maize  ;  laymen,  J.  A.  Smith,  H.  Wingart. * 

Oregon  Conference. — Clerical,  C.  C.  Poling  ;  laymen,  Eli 
Seese. 


•Alternates. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 


The  Church  Societies. — The  Keystone  Leagve  of  Chris- 
tian Endeavor. 

This  society  was  constituted  an  organization  of  the  church 
at  the  Philadelphia  General  Conference.  The  Managing  Board 
met  in  that  city  on  Oct.  13th,  and  elected  the  following  officers 
for  the  society  :  President,  W.  H.  Fouke  ;  vice-president,  W. 
C.  Weiss  ;  secretary,  U.  F.  Swengel  ;  treasurer,  F.  Pfunder. 
In  a  short  time  many  local  societies  were  formed  :  The  first  to 
report,  were  York,  (Trinity)  Pa.,  Shannon,  111.,  Sterling,  111., 
Freeport,  111.,  and  Forreston,  111.,  in  the  order  named.  The 
Keystone  League  of  Christan  Endeavor  of  the  United  Evangel- 
ical Church,  was  recognized  immediately  after  its  organization, 
as  an  integral  part  of  the  United  Society  of  Christian  Endeavor 
by  its  founder  and  president,  Dr.  Francis  Clark,  and  is  repre- 
sented by  a  trustee  on  the  Board  of  the  United  Society. 

The  first  distinctively  K.  L.  C.  E.  convention  was  held  at 
Lewisburg,  Pa.,  June  16,  1892,  and  was  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Central  Pa.  Conference.  Organizations  were  soon  effected 
in  all  the  conferences,  and  conference  and  district  conventions 
held.  The  influence  of  the  Society  in  developing  the  latent  tal- 
ent, especially  of  the  young,  in  the  church,  has  been  most  salu- 
tary. 

Missionary  Society. — The  Parent  Missionary  Society  of 
the  United  Evangelical  Church  passed  through  many  trying  or- 
deals during  the  period  of  the  church  disruption.  Soon  after 
the  Philadelphia  General  Conference,  an  action  at  law  was 
brought  against  the  treasurer,  M.  Kunkel,  at  Chicago,  111.,  by 
the  "Majority"  leaders,  restraining  him  from  receiving  money 
in  the  name  of  the  Missionary  Society  of  the  Evangelical  Asso- 
ciation.   In  October,  1892,  the  society  he4d  its  annual  meeting 

627 


828 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


at  Canton,  Ohio,  where  an  additional  action  was  instituted 
against  its  officers  by  the  opposition. 

Notwithstanding  all  these  difficulties,  the  energetic  corres- 
ponding secretary.  Rev.  B.  J.  Smoyer,  remained  faithfully  at  his 
post  and  rendered  valuable  service  to  the  church.  The  treasurer 
having  resigned,  the  executive  committee  of  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions elected  J.  G.  Mohn,  of  Reading,  Pa.,  to  that  office  in 
May,  1892,  and  who  was  re-elected  to  that  office  by  the  General 
Conference  in  1894  and  1898.  The  meetings  of  the  Board  of 
Missions  have  been  as  follows  : 

1895.  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  Oct.  3d,  president,  S.  L.  Wiest  ; 
vice-president,  I.  Bower  ;  secretary,  U.  F.  Swengel  ;  treasurer, 
J.  G.  Mohn  ;  W.  F.  Heil,  for  the  East  Pa.  Conference  ;  W.  E. 
Detwiler,  Central  Pa.  Conference ;  A.  J.  Bird,  Pittsburg 
Conference ;  A.  W.  Brown,  Ohio  Conference  ;  W.  H.  Fouke, 
Illinois  Conference  ;  W.  Jonas,  Des  Moines  Conference;  Bishop 
W.  M.  Stanford,  Oregon  Conference ;  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Krecker,  W.  M.  S. 

1896.  Baltimore,  Md.,  Oct.  8th,  S.  L.  Wiest,  president; 
I.  Bower,  vice  president;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary;  J.  G. 
Mohn,  treasurer;  W.  F.  Heil,  East  Pa.  Conference;  W.  E. 
Detweiler,  Central  Pa.  Conference ;  F.  W.  Barlett,  Pittsburg 
Conference;  W.  E.  Bailey,  Ohio  Conference ;  W.  H.  Fouke, 
Illinois  Conference;  B.  H.  Niebel,  Des  Moines  Conference; 
Bishop  W.  M.  Stanford,  Platte  River  Conference;  Bishop  R. 
Dubs,  Oregon  Conference;  Mrs.  W.  H.  Fouke,  W.  M.  S. 

1897.  Reading,  Pa.,  Oct.  7th,  S.  L.  Wiest,  president;  I. 
Bower,  vice-president;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary;  J.  G. 
Mohn,  treasurer;  A.  M.  Sampsel,  East  Pa.  Conference;  W.  E. 
Detwiler,  Central  Pa.  Conference ;  A.  J.  Bird,  Pittsburg 
Conference;  W.  W.  Sherrick,  Ohio  Conference;  W.  H.  Fouke, 
Illinois  Conference;  Emil  Mueller,  Des  Moines  Conference; 
Bishop  W.  M.  Stanford,  Platte  River  Conference  ;  Bishop  R. 
Dubs,  Oregon  Conference  ;  Mrs.  W.  H.  Fouke,  W.  M.  S. 

1898.  Johnstown,  Pa.,  Oct.  loth,  S.  L.  Wiest,  president; 
I.  Bower,  vice-president;  U.  F.  Swengel,  secretary;  A.  M. 
Sampsel,  East  Pa.  Conference ;  A.  H.  Irvine,  Central  Pa. 
Conference;  A.  J.  Bird,  Pittsburg  Conference;  W.  S.  Harp- 
ster,  Ohio  Conference;  W.  H.  Fouke,  Illinois  Conference; 
Emil  Mueller,  Des  Moines  Conference ;  M.  T.  Maze,  Platte 
River  Conference  ;  C.  C.  Poling,  Oregon  Conference  ;  Mrs. 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  629 

C.  F.  Rassweiler,  W.  M.  S  ;  Bishops  Dubs  and  Stanford  ad- 
visory members. 

The  Woman's  Missionary  Society. — This  Society  may  be 
said  to  be  the  only  organization  of  the  Evangelical  Association 
that  as  a  whole  remained  true  to  the  "Minority."  This  was 
due  to  the  fact  that  its  organization  was  effected,  and  its  cause 
championed  against  considerable  opposition  from  "official" 
sources  by  that  part  of  the  church  with  which  it  subsequently 
cast  its  lot.  The  influence  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker,  the 
widow  of  the  sainted  Dr.  F.  Krecker,  was  also  most  salutary. 
Through  all  these  years  of  conflict  she  was  unremitting  in  her 
labors  of  love  for  the  holy  cause  of  missions.  She  attended 
nearly  all  the  conference  sessions,  and  made  frequent  and  ex- 
tended journeys,  organized  local  societies,  delivered  addresses, 
etc.,  in  the  interests  of  the  cause. 

Owing  to  the  division  of  the  church,  the  Society  was  de- 
prived of  its  organ,  the  Missionary  Messenger,  but  this  loss  was 
soon  overcome  by  the  appearance  of  the  Missionary  Tidings  as 
its  organ,  and  hence  the  various  interests  of  the  society  have 
had  a  continuous  succession  from  the  founding  of  the  society  to 
the  present  time.*  The  annual  conventions  since  1887  to  1898, 
with  the  officers  elected  at  each  session,  have  been  as  follows : 

1888.  Chicago,  III.,  Sept.  28-30,  president,  Mrs.  H.  B. 
Hartzler;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Baltz;  corres- 
ponding secretary,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Rassweiler;  treasurer,  Mrs. 
Nellie  G.  Schneider. 

1889.  Reading,  Pa.,  Sept.  20-22,  president,  Mrs.  C.  F, 
Rassweiler;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker  ;  record- 
ing secretary,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Baltz  ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
S.  F.  Entorf;  treasurer,  Mrs.  N.  G.  Schneider;  superintendent 
of  Mission  Bands,  Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines 

1890.  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Sept.  19-22,  president,  Mrs.  C.  F. 
Rassweiler;  vice-president,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker;  re- 
cording secretary,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Baltz;  corresponding  secretary, 
Mrs.  Ada  B.  Collins;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Nellie  G.  Schneider; 
superintendent  Mission  Bands,  Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines  ;  general  or- 
ganizer, Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker. 

*  By  the  re-organization  in  1895,  efficiency  of  the  society  was  greatly 
increased.  The  creation  of  a  Woman's  Board  of  Missions,  and  by  the  admit- 
tance of  a  representative  in  the  Board  of  the  Parent  Society,  the  unifying  of  the 
missionary  interests  of  the  church  became  complete. 


630 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


1891.  Naperville,  111.,  Nov.  7-10,  president,  Mrs.  C.  F. 
Rassweiler  j  vice-president,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker;  record- 
ing secretary,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Baltz  ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
Ada  B.  Collins  ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  Nellie  G.  Schneider  ;  su- 
perintendent of  Mission  Bands,  Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines  ;  general 
organizer,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker. 

1892.  Johnstown,  Pa.,  Sept.  24-27,  president  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Krecker;  vice-president,  Mrs.  C.  F.  Rassweiler;  record- 
ing secretary,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Remer  ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
W.  M.  Stanford;  treasurer,  Mrs.  S.  L.  Wiest;  superintendent 
of  Mission  Bands,  Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines;  general  organizer,  Mrs. 
Elizabeth  Krecker;  editor  of  the  newly  established  Missionary 
Tidings^  Mrs.  F.  G.  Stauffer. 

1893.  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Sept.  21-24,  president,  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Krecker;  vice-president,  Mrs.  U.  F.  Swengel  ;  record- 
ing secretary,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Remer  ;  corresponding  secretary,  Mrs. 
W.  M.  Stanford;  treasurer,  Mrs.  W.  Detwiler;  superintend- 
ent of  Mission  Bands,  Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines;  general  organizer, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker;  editor  of  Missionary  Tidings,  Mrs. 
F.  G.  Stauffer. 

1894.  Williamsport,  Pa.,  Sept.  20-24,  president  and  or- 
ganizer, Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker  ;  vice-president,  Mrs.  W.  M. 
Stanford  ;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Remer  ;  correspond- 
ing secretary,  Mrs.  B.  F.  Bowman  ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  W.  E.  Det- 
wiler; superintendent  of  Mission  Bands,  Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines; 
editor  of  Missionary  Tidings,  Mrs.  Emma  Divan. 

1895.  Lewisburg,  Pa.,  Sept.  12-15,  president  and  organ- 
izer, Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker;  vice-president,  Mrs.  W.  M. 
Stanford;  recording  secretary,  Mrs.  S.  P.  Remer;  correspond- 
ing secretary,  Mrs.  B.  F.  Bowman  ;  treasurer,  Mrs.  W.  E.  Det- 
wiler; superintendent  of  Mission  Bands,  Mrs.  T.  T..  Haines; 
editor  of  Missionary  Tidings,  Mrs.  Emma  Divan. 

1896.  Glen  Rock,  Pa.,  Oct.  1,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker, 
president;  Mrs.  W.  M.  Stanford,  vice-president;  Mrs.  S.  P. 
Remer,  recording  secretary  ;  Miss  Carrie  Bordlemav,  corres- 
ponding secretary  ;  Mrs.  W.  E.  Detwiler,  treasurer  ;  Mrs.  T. 
L.  Haines,  superintendent  of  Mission  Bands  ;  Mrs.  A.  H.  Irvine, 
superintendent  of  Junior  Society  ;  Mrs.  C.  N.  Dubs,  superintend- 
ent of  Bureau  of  Literature  ;  Mrs.  Emma  Divan,  editor  of 
Missionary  Tidings. 

1897.  Reading,  Pa.,  Sept.  30,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Krecker, 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  631 


president  and  organizer ;  Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines,  vice-president 
and  superintendent  of  Mission  Bands  ;  Mrs.  S.  P.  Remer,  secre- 
tary ;  Mrs.  W.  E.  Detwiler,  treasurer ;  Mrs.  A.  H.  Irvine, 
superintendent  of  Junior  Society  ;  Mrs.  C.  N.  Dubs,  superintend- 
ent of  literature ;  Mrs.  Emma  Divan,  editor  of  Missionary 
Tidings;  Mrs.  Marguerite  Krecker  Vincent,  ^ditox  oi  Mis- 
sionary Evangelical. 

1898.  South  Fork,  Pa.,  Oct.  6-10,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Krecker,  president  and  organizer ;  Mrs.  T.  L.  Haines,  vice- 
president  and  superintendent  of  Mission  Bands ;  Mrs.  S.  P. 
Remer,  secretary  ;  Mrs.  W.  E.  Detwiler,  treasurer ;  Mrs.  C. 
N.  Dubs,  superintendent  of  literature  ;  Mrs.  M.  M.  T.  Fouke, 
editor  of  Missionary  Tidings  ;  Mrs.  Marguerite  Krecker  Vin- 
cent, editor  of  Missionary  Evangelical ;  Mrs.  JosiE  McLaine, 
superintendent  of  Young  People's  Societies. 

Literary  Institutions. — By  the  most  reprehensible  ma- 
nipulations the  Esher  faction  gained  control  of  the  North 
Western  College  at  Naperville,  111.,  in  the  early  stages  of  the 
difficulty.  Its  efficient  president.  Prof.  H.  H.  Rassweiler, 
was  removed,  and  Bishop  Thomas  Bowman  took  his  place. 

In  the  East,  Central  Pa.  College  at  New  Berlin,  Pa.,  and 
Schuylkill  Seminary  at  Fredericksburg,  Pa.,  remained  in  full 
control  of  the  minority  until  after  the  decision  of  the  supreme 
court  in  October,  1894.  In  the  autumn  of  this  year  Prof.  G. 
HoLTZAPFEL  resigned  the  presidency  of  Schuylkill  Seminary,  and 
Prof.  E.  Chubb  succeeded  him.  The  buildings  of  Palatinate 
College,  situated  at  Myerstown,  Pa.,  were  leased  by  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  East  Pa.  Conference,  and  the  school  was  re- 
moved from  Schulkill  Seminary  to  that  place  near  the  close  of 
December,  the  entire  faculty  and  nearly  all  the  students  for- 
sook the  old,  and  went  with  the  new  institution.  At  the  next 
session  of  the  East  Pa.  Conference  the  institution  was  named 
"Albright  Collegiate  Institute."  In  the  spring  of  1896  the 
property  was  purchased  for  the  sum  of  0,000.  The  value  of 
the  property  is  at  the  present  time  three  times  the  amount  paid 
for  it.  In  the  spring  of  1896  the  institution  was  advanced  to  a 
full  college  grade. 

Prof.  Chubb  was  succeeded  as  principal  in  the  summer  of 
1895  by  Rev  J.  B.  Esenwein,  who  was  succeeded  in  the  autumn 
of  1896  by  Prof.  C.  A.  Bowman. 

Central  Pa.  College  suffered  no  interruption  whatever  through 


632 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


the  church  division,  although  its  patronage  was  somewhat  lim- 
ited by  reason  of  the  uncertainty  of  the  outcome,  which  was 
happily  removed  by  the  purchase  of  the  institution  on  May  ii, 
1896. 

At  the  session  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference  in  1898,  Rev. 
W.  E.  Detwiler,  was  elected  as  financial  agent  of  the  institu- 
tion, steps  having  been  taken  to  raise  an  endowment  fund  of 
$100,000,  for  the  sustentation  of  the  college. 

Lafayette  Seminary,  situated  at  Lafayette,  Ore.,  was  also 
saved  as  an  institution  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church  by  a, 
process  of  transfer.  Its  financial  embarrassment,  incurred  in 
consequence  of  the  church  troubles,  was  relieved  by  confer- 
ence pledges  in  the  East  in  1895. 

After  the  spring  session  of  1895,  Prof.  C.  A.  Bowman,  who 
had  for  some  time  been  its  efficient  president,  returned  East  to 
accept  a  position  in  Albright  College,  and  Rev.  C.  C.  Poung 
took  his  place.  At  the  opening  of  the  following  fall  term, 
Prof.  D.  M.  Metzger,  of  the  Central  Pa.  Conference,  was 
added  to  the  faculty  of  that  institution. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


Additional  Short  Biographical  Sketches. 

Rev.  Martin  J.  Carothers. — This  distinguished  man  of 
God  was  born  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  Aug.  14,  1825,  at 
Plainfield,  Cumberland  Co.,  Pa.,  and  died  in  Newville,  near 
the  place  of  his  birth,  March  18,  1897.  In  1842  he  was  con- 
verted to  God  under  the  labors  of  Rev.  Moses  Bower  and 
soon  thereafter  realized  an  inward  call  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry. In  1846  he  attended  the  session  of  the  West  Pa.  (now 
the  Central)  Conference  of  the  Evangelical  Church  where  he 
was  licensed  to  preach,  and  was  assigned  to  a  charge.  Although 
unable  to  exercise  in  the  German  language  at  a  time  when  that 
tongue  was  almost  exclusively  used,  he  nevertheless  at  once 
took  high  rank  among  his  brethren  and  was  well  received  hy 
the  people. 

Already  in  1851  he  was  elected  as  an  alternate  to  General 
Conference,  and  in  1855  he  attended  the  General  Conference 
as  a  delegate,  and  represented  his  conference  in  that  capacity 
at  every  succeeding  one  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  rep- 
resented his  conference  in  the  Board  of  Missions  many  years, 
and  also  served  one  term  on  the  Board  of  Publication. 

His  service  to  his  own  conference  was  varied  and  valuable, 
and  for  many  years  he  was  regarded  as  the  leader  of  that  body. 
For  seventeen  successive  years  he  was  treasurer  and  managed 
the  finances  with  exceptional  ability.  In  1868  he  was  elected 
presiding  elder  and  served  three  terms;  again  elected  in  1883  he 
served  three  terms  more,  twenty-four  years  in  all  in  that  office. 

Brother  Carothers  took  advanced  grounds  in  educational 
matters,  and  to  him  may  be  attributed  the  saving  for  the  church, 
of  the  Union  Seminary  (now  Central  Pa.  College)  when  it  was 
overtaken  by  financial  disaster  as  the  result  of  the  civil  war. 
As  a  writer  he  was  little  known,  but  as  an  eloquent  and  pow- 
erful preacher  and  leader  he  stood  in  his  palmy  days  without  a 

633 


«34 


THE  EVANOELICAL  ANNALS. 


superior  in  the  church.  In  the  disruption  period  he  proved  a 
tower  of  strength  to  the  minority,  and  his  wise  counsels,  moral 
courage  and  immovable  devotion  to  the  principles  of  the 
'athers  was  an  inspiration  to  many  faltering  ones.  His  wish  to 
die  "in  the  harness"  was  virtually  granted,  as  he  took  a  super- 
annuated relation  but  a  few  weeks  before  his  death.  His  wife 
and  five  children  survived  him. 

Daniel  B.  Byers  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1835.  In  1850 
the  family  removed  to  Illinois.  In  early  life  he  became  a  sin- 
cere Christian,  and  through  the  promptings  of  the  Spirit  dedi- 
cated his  life  to  the  work  of  the  ministry.  In  1856  he  was 
licensed  by  the  Illinois  Conference,  and  assigned  to  a  charge. 
He  rose  rapidly  in  the  estimation  of  his  conference  and  was 
always  given  appointments  requiring  the  highest  qualifications. 
In  1868  he  was  elected  presiding  elder  and  assigned  to  Freeport 
District.  In  1876  he  was  again  elected  to  that  office  and  once 
more  assigned  to  Freeport  District.  Again  elected  to  that 
office  in  1882  he  served  Elgin  District  two  years,  and  Mendota 
District  the  same  length  of  time.  Re-elected  in  1890,  he  was 
assigned  to  Naperville  District,  but  failing  health  compelled 
him  to  resign  the  office  in  1891. 

Brother  Byers  served  four  times  as  delegate  to  the  General 
Conference  under  the  Evangelical  Association,  and  also  to  the 
General  Conferences  of  the  United  Evangelical  Church  at 
Philadelphia  in  1891,  and  Naperville  in  1894.  He  possessed 
many  excellent  qualities  of  mind  and  heart.  His  pulpit  efforts 
evinced  thoroughness  of  preparation,  while  determinate  straight- 
forwardness characterized  his  official  life.  His  pen  was  tren- 
chant and  prolific,  and  furnished  many  timely  articles  for  the 
church  periodicals.  He  was  the  author  of  two  excellent  books, 
namely,  "Physical  Death  Not  the  Penalty"  (1869),  and  "The 
Christian  Sabbath  "  (1879).  He  also  furnished  articles  repre- 
senting the  United  Evangelical  Church,  for  the  New  York  In- 
dependent, and  "The  American  Series  of  Church  Histories." 

After  a  long  season  of  suffering,  he  passed  to  his  reward  at 
Naperville,  111.,  July  2,  1897,  being  survived  by  his  wife  and 
six  children. 

Rev.  Jacob  Kaechele  was  bom  Dec.  23,  1832,  in  Rot- 
tenacker,  Wuertemberg,  Germany.  In  1854  he  emigrated  to 
Canada  where  he  was  converted  in  1855.  In  1858  he  entered 
the  ministry  of  the  Evangelical  Association  in  Canada.    In  1866 


THE  UNITED  LV ANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


635 


he  was  sent  by  the  Board  of  Missions  as  missionary  to  Switzer- 
land where  he  labored  with  wonderful  success.  In  1868  he  was 
elected  presiding  elder  and  assigned  to  the  Swiss  District.  Re- 
elected in  1872,  he  was  placed  on  Reutlingen  District.  In  1871 
he  was  elected  by  the  General  Conference  as  editor  of  the  Evan- 
^elische  Botschafter,  and  re-elected  to  the  same  office  in  1875, 
thus  filling  several  responsible  offices  at  the  same  time. 

He  was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Conference  of  1871,  1875, 
1879  and  1883.  In  the  disruption  of  the  church  he  was  a  pro- 
nounced minority  man,  and  as  pastor  of  an  Evangelical  con- 
gregation in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  he  gathered  his  members  of  like 
sentiment  into  an  independent  society,  which  later  connected  it- 
self with  the  United  Evangelical  Church,  and  with  Bro.  Kae- 
CHELE  as  pastor,  was  taken  into  the  East  Pa.  Conference.  In 
this  relation  he  passed  to  his  reward  after  intense  and  pro- 
longed suffering,  Jan.  27,  1898. 

Bro.  Kaechele  was  a  profound  thinker,  an  intensely  spirit- 
ual and  earnest  preacher,  and  a  prolific  writer.  His  published 
works  comprise  the  following  titles,  "Reflections  on  the  Lord's 
Prayer,"  "  Reflections  on  the  Decalogue,"  "The  Final  Tri- 
umph of  Christianity,"  "  The  Parisian  Blood  Nuptials,"  "Blas- 
pheming the  Holy  Spirit,"  "Restoration  of  All  Things,"  "On 
Mormonism,"  "  On  the  Signs  of  the  Times, "  "Jesus  in  Moses," 
"Sketches  of  Sermons  on  Isolated  Texts, "  Discourses  at  Wed- 
•dings  and  Funerals;"  "The  Evangelical  Catechism,"  "Fifty 
Sketches  of  Sermons  on  the  Holy  Spirit, "  and  "  Waiting  for 
the  Second  Coming  of  Christ." 

Rev.  Amos  M.  Stirk  was  bom  at  Terre  Hill,  Lancaster 
Co.,  Pa.,  June  15,  1837,  and  died  suddenly  of  heart  failure,  at 
his  home  in  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Feb.  6,  1900,  aged  62  years,  7  months 
and  21  days.  Brother  Stirk  was  converted  when  young,  and 
was  licensed  to  preach  in  1867,  by  the  East  Pa.  Conference. 

In  1868  he  entered  the  active  ranks,  and  rose  rapidly  in  pub- 
lic estimation.  He  was  a  member  of  every  General  Conference 
from  1883  to  the  time  of  his  death.  In  1884  he  was  elected 
presiding  elder  and  assigned  to  Harrisburg  District,  which  he 
served  four  years.  Re-elected  in  1888,  he  served  Reading  Dis- 
trict three  years,  when  he  resigned  his  office  and  served  Salem 
congregation  in  AUentown  one  year.  Again  elected  presiding 
elder  in  1892,  he  served  Philadelphia  District  two  years  and 
AUentown  District  one  year.    Re-elected  under  the  new  church 


636 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


constitution  in  1895,  he  served  AUentown  District  four  years 
more.  He  was  re-elected  in  1899  for  the  last  time  and  assigned 
to  Harrisburg  District. 

Brother  Stirk  was  held  in  high  esteem  throughout  the  church 
as  a  faithful  minister  and  wise  counsellor,  and  his  loss  was  keenly 
^elt.    He  was  survived  by  a  wife  and  three  children. 


CHAPTER  X. 


ADDENDA. 

It  seems  desirable  to  add  a  brief  resume  of  important  events 
relating  to  the  United  Evangelical  Church  since  1898,  before 
finally  closing  this  work.  The  Great  Head  of  the  Church  has 
continued  the  bestowment  of  His  gracious  favors,  and  conse- 
quent prosperity  has  crowned  the  various  interests  of  our  Zion 
down  to  the  closing  year  of  the  century. 

Boundaries.  The  boundaries  of  the  church  have  been 
recently  extended  by  the  organization  of  the  Northwestern  Con- 
ference in  1899.  The  conference  was  constituted  into  two  dis- 
tricts, with  W.  Jonas  and  Emil  Mueller  as  the  presiding  elders. 
Kimball  and  Paynesville  Missions  in  Minnesota,  and  Anamoose 
in  North  Dakota,  were  constituted.  A  mission  was  also  located 
this  year  at  Omaha,  Neb.,  and  one  at  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  the  year 
following. 

Forelgtl  Mission.  The  Board  of  Missions  carried  out  the 
instructions  of  the  General  Conference  by  establishing  a  heathen 
mission.  This,  however,  was  not  accomplished  without  much 
research  and  a  careful  canvass  for  unoccupied  ground. 

After  prayerful  consideration  the  province  of  Hunan,  in 
China,  was  selected  as  the  mission  field.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
Executive  Committee,  held  at  Reading,  Pa.,  Jan.  10,  1900,  a 
superintendent  for  the  work  was  selected  in  the  person  of  Rev. 
C.  Newton  Dubs,  of  the  Illinois  Conference,  a  son  of  Bishop 
Dubs,  and  editor  of  the  Evangelische  Zeitschrift.  At  a  later 
date  Rev.  A.  Wesley  Mell,  of  Iowa,  was  selected  as  an  addi- 
tional missionary.  These  men  of  God  accepted  the  responsible 
trust,  and  with  their  life  companions  are  now  making  prepara- 
tion for  their  departure  to  their  designated  fields. 

Educational.  The  educational  projects  of  the  Western 
conferences  culminated  in  the  acquirement  of  the  LeMars 
(Iowa)  Normal  School  buildings  under  very  favorable  condi- 

637 


638 


THE  EVANGELICAL  ANNALS. 


tioas.  The  estimated  value  of  the  property  being  $35,000.  The 
meeting  at  which  final  action  was  taken  was  held  at  LeMars, 
April  10,  1900,  and  was  attended  by  Bishops  Dubs  and  Stan- 
ford, and  the  following  representatives  from  their  respective 
conferences:  H.  Schneider,  S.  F.  Entorf  and  C.  Plagge,  of 
the  Illinois  ;  M.  T.  Maze  and  S.  B.  Dillow,  of  the  Platte  River  ; 
Wm.  Klinefelter,  E.  B.  Utt  and  N.  R.  Clift,  of  the  Des 
Moines;  and  Wm.  Jonas,  Emu,  Mueller  and  Henry  Schneider, 
of  the  Northwestern.  The  new  institution  was  named  the 
Western  Union  College.  Prof.  H.  H.  Thoren,  of  Illinois,  was 
chosen  as  president,  and  B.  F.  Niebel  as  general  agent  of 
the  college.  Arrangements  were  made  for  the  opening  of  the 
institution  in  the  month  of  September  following  in  all  depart- 
ments with  a  full  and  excellent  faculty. 

A  change  in  the  location  of  our  institution  of  learning  on  the 
Pacific  Coast  became  advisable,  and  in  consequence  of  which  a 
desirable  property  was  secured  in  the  town  of  Dallas,  Oregon, 
under  very  advantageous  conditions.  To  this  new  location  the 
institution  hitherto  situated  at  Lafayette,  Oregon,  is  to  be  re- 
moved as  soon  as  convenient,  and  without  any  change  in  the 
management  of  the  same.  Rev.  C.  C.  Poling,  who  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  has  been  the  president  of  Lafayette  Seminary,  will 
continue  in  that  capacity  in  Dallas  College. 

Statistical.  The  official  statistics  of  the  church  afford  us 
the  following  aggregates  :  1899 — membership,  59,830  ;  itinerant 
preachers,  454;  local  preachers,  223;  churches,  734.  1900 — 
membership,  60,993  ;  itinerant  preachers,  478  ;  local  preachers, 
202  ;  churches,  763. 

Conference  Sessions — 1899.  East  Pa.,  Mohnsville,. 
Pa.,  Feb.  23,  Bishop  Dubs,  chairman  ;  Central  Pa.,  Lewisburg,^ 
Pa.,  March  2,  Bishop  Stanford,  chairman;  Pittsburg,  Haw- 
thorne, Pa.,  March  9,  Bishop  Stanford,  chairman.  This  con- 
ference resolved  hereafter  to  hold  its  sessions  in  the  Autumn,, 
and  effected  the  change  by  holding  its  next  session  in  Septem- 
ber of  this  same  year.  Ohio,  Findlay,  O.,  Sept.,  28,  Bishop 
Dubs,  chairman ;  Illinois,  Naperville,  111.,  March  23,  Bishop 
Dubs,  chairman  ;  Des  Moines,  near  Hinton,  Iowa,  March  30, 
Bishop  Dubs,  chairman  ;  Northwestern — this  conference  was 
formed  by  a  division  of  the  Des  Moines,  and  had  its  first  ses- 
sion immediately  after  the  Stationing  Committee  reported. 
Bishop  Dubs  presided.    Platte  River,  Dawson,  Neb.,  March 


THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  689 


i6,  Bishop  Stanford,  chairman  ;  Oregon,  Lafayette,  Ore.,  April 
13,  Bishop  Stanford,  chairman. 

1900.  East  Pa.,  Lancaster,  Pa.,  Feb.,  21,  Bishop  Stan- 
ford, chairman;  Central  Pa.,  Williamsport,  Pa.,  March  i, 
Bishop  Dubs,  chairman ;  Pittsburg,  Johnstown,  Pa.,  Septem- 
ber; Ohio,  Youngstown,  O.,  September;  Illinois,  Barrington, 
111.,  March  22,  Bishop  Dubs,  chairman;  Des  Moines,  Iowa 
Centre,  Iowa,  March  29,  Bishop  Stanford,  chairman  ;  North- 
western, Ackley,  Iowa,  April  5,  Bishop  Dubs,  chairman ;  Platte 
River,  Blue  Springs,  Neb.,  March  15,  Bishop  Dubs,  chairman; 
Oregon,  Hilisboro,  Ore.,  April  19,  Bishop  Dubs,  chairman. 

Ministerial  Necrology— 1899.  J.  F.  Thomas,  local,  at 
York,  Pa.,  March  15,  aged  74  years  ;  J.  B.  Fox,  itinerant,  at 
York,  Pa.,  April  29,  aged  40  years  ;  W.  F.  Walker,  retired,  at 
Chicago,  111.,  June  12,  aged  67  years;  P.  L.  Ellis,  local,  at 
Cambridge,  Neb.,  June  30,  aged  86  years;  John  Miller,  re- 
tired, at  Naperville,  111.,  Sept.  11,  aged  78  years;  Abraham 
Loehner,  retired,  at  Colfax,  Ohio,  Sept.  21,  aged  87  years; 
O.  P.  Crawford,  local,  at  Radcliffe,  Iowa,  Sept.  2,  aged  80 
years. 

1900.  A.  M.  Stirk,  itinerant,  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Feb.  6,  aged 
62  years ;  F.  P.  Lehr,  itinerant,  died  at  conference  session, 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  Feb.  24,  aged  71  years;  J.  G.  Whitmire,  re- 
tired, at  Bloomsburg,  Pa.,  April  5,  aged  44  years  ;  C.  F.  Fry, 
local,  at  Nescopeck,  Pa.,  May  5,  aged  47  years. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


.Statistical  Table  or  Membership  Since  1887  or  thk  Con- 
ferences Constituting 

THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 


Conferences. 


1888 


1890 


1891 


East  Pa.,  . .  . 
Central  Ta. , . 
Pittsburg,  . . 

Ohio  

Illinois,  

Des  Moines, . 
Platte  River, 
Oregon,  .... 


17.148 

14.903 
8.817 


11,455 
3.915 
1,836 

1.295 


120 
9' 
63 


105 
41 
25 
14 


17,958  114 
14,280 
9,066  63 


11.637 
4.249 
1,848 

1.539 


lOI 

40 
25 
17 


18,190 
14,424 
9.510 


11.507 
4.503 

*2,000 

*i.65o 


116 
92 
62 


18.532 
14.562 
9.992 


113 
97 
63 


4.543 
1.855 
1. 521 


Conferences. 


East  Pa.,  . . . 
Central  Pa., 
Pittsburg,  .  . 

Ohio,  

Illinois,  

Des  Moines, 
Platte  River, 
Oregon,  . . . . 


1892 


I 


18,334 
14.932 
9.737 


5.407 
1,860 


92 
102 
64 


1893 


S 


18,8x9 
15.430 
9.310 
1,688 
5.131 

2,083 
1,063 


87 
100 
61 
8 
62 

20 
J7 


1894 


18.524 
16,754 
9.992 
2,254 
4.627 
5.426 
2,781 


98 
103 
62 

'56 
52 
21 


189s 


13.990 
15.829 

8.795 
2,409 

5.053 
4,602 
2,166 
926 


89 
102 
58 
20 

72 
48 


17 


48,69 
43  • 
I9l- 
6  14 
■•|5o 
2936 


5  10 


17 


*  Estimated. 


640 


THE  UNITE D  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH.  «41 

Statistical  Table  of  Membership  Since  1887  of  thb  Con- 
ferences Constituting 

THE  UNITED  EVANGELICAL  CHURCH. 

(  Concluded. ) 


1896 

1897 

1898 

\r. 

u: 

ui 

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.C 

u 

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.C 
u 

V 

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w? 

'OONFER  ENCKS. 

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V 

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J3 

u 

n 

V 

U 

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u 

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ti 

V 

J3 

0 

wi 

rt 
i> 

ui 

ui 
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&£ 

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u 
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H 
u 

ineian 

ocal  P 

hurche 

arsona 

1  ember 

ineran 

ocal  P 

hurche 

arsona 

lember 

ineran 

ocal  P 

hurche 

arsonai 

J 

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2 

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a. 

East  Pa.,  

14,818 

84 

46 

no 

16 

15,322 

95 

51 

140 

16 

16,181 

96 

61 

155 

18 

Central  Pa. ,  .  . 

16,489 

103 

45 

192 

28 

16,821 

105 

45 

192 

30 

17.542 

105 

46 

218 

36 

Pittsburg,  ... 

7,569 

52 

18 

63 

18 

7,751 

49 

20 

87 

16 

7.885 

45 

18 

106 

13 

Ohio,  

2,562 

17 

8 

21 

3 

2,763 

16 

9 

27 

4 

2,798 

23 

8 

35 

9 

5.554 

61 

26 

62 

24 

5,865 

72 

22 

64 

28 

6,094 

70 

24 

69 

30 

Des  Moines,  . . 

4,597 

49 

25 

42 

28 

4.577 

51 

27 

53 

23 

4.716 

56 

37 

65 

30 

Platte  River,  .  . 

2.714 

26 

22 

22 

15 

2,707 

19 

19 

29 

15 

2,868 

21 

13 

29 

16 

964 

15 

5 

12 

I 

954 

17 

9 

10 

2 

1,048 

15 

7 

15 

5 

Index  and  Ministerial  Register  ol  tlie  Evangelical 
Association-n%-1891. 


ALBRIGHT,  JACOB,  beginning 
of  ministry,  19;  oo-laborers  of, 
20;  ordination  of,  22;  biog.  of, 
513. 

Albrlg4it  Memorial  church,  42. 
"Albrights,"  the  so-called,  220. 
Albright  Seminary,  est.,  199;  305. 
Apostolic  Succession,  179. 
Asbury,  Bishop,  interview,  170. 
Adams  County,  work  est.  in,  117. 
AUentown,  work  est.  in,  97,  101. 

DAPTISM,  subjects  and  mode, 
^  252,  238. 

Beaver  Dam  class,  61. 

Beaver,  Rev.  Peter,  32— Gov. 
James  A.,  32. 

Becker  fam.,  converted,  37,  39. 

Bertolette  fam.,  the,  29. 

Bequests  of,  Mrs.  Hecht— F.  Mil- 
ler, 34-HGeo.  Putnam,  141— H. 
—Henry  Eby,  206— D.  Kreibil, 
206. 

Bedford  County,  work  est.,  128. 

Bersch  Wm.,  note  on,  212. 

Engel,  206— Maria  Kuster,  206 

Biblical  Institutes,  regulation, 377. 

Boehm,  Rev.  Martin,  15. 

Blockhouse,  work  at,  105. 

Blairstown  Seminary,  est.,  200. 

Book  Establishment,  hist,  of,  208 
—Book  com.,  230— Books  pub. 
of,  223,  249,  252— prices  regu- 
lated, 233— Bishop  Seibert's 
great  order  for.  264. 

Board  of  Publication,  213. 

Breitenstein  fam.,  hist.,  42. 

Brush  Valley,  work  est.,  87. 

Brobst  fam.,  the,  27. 

Buchman  fam.,  119. 

Buckwalter  fam..  26. 

643 


P  AMBRIA  COUNTY,  work  est. 

^  in,  131. 

Canada,  110. 

Canton  Cir.,  Ohio,  138. 

Catechetical  Instruction,  220. 

Catechism,  269. 

Central  Penna.  College,  196. 

Centennial  College  project,  404. 

Cemetery,  the  first  Evan.,  223. 

Circuits,  the  first,  24,  56,  134. 

Classes,  the  first,  25,  26,  57,  218. 

Class  meetings  enjoined,  283. 

Conventions,  dist.,  origin  of,  319. 

Conferences,   formed,  219 — "West- 
ern, 234— West  Penna.,  258— 
Obio,    258— Illinois,    270— New 
York,  282— Pittsburg,  299— In- 
diana, 299— Wis.,   212— Central 
Pa.,   326— Iowa,    326— Canada, 
342— Mich.,  342— Kansas,  342— 
Atlantic,    398— Erie,    398— Pa- 
cific,   398— S.    Indiana,  398— 
Des  Moines,  398 — Platte  River, 
433— Nebr.,   433— Oregon,  447— 
Cal.,  447— Dakota.  447. 
Church  Edifice,  the  first,  69,  225. 
Charitable  Soc,  inst.  of,  206. 
Children's  Day,  origin  of,  208. 
Christliche  Bot?chafter,  211. 
Crum  Class  formed,  52. 

DENLINGER,   PROF.  DAVID, 
196. 

Dreisbach  fam.,  'hist.,  74-77. 
Discipline,  book  of,  168,  362. 

PCUMENICAL,  COUNCIL.  OIF 
^   Meth.,  420. 

Education,    higher,   182,   193,  269. 
276. 

Episcopacy,  the,  165,  300. 
Ettinger  fam.,  hist.,  115.  116. 
Emigrant  Miss.,  est.,  459. 


644 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


Erie  Co.,  Seibert's  work  in,  107. 

E^fergTeen,  the  pub.  of,  387. 

Emigration  to.  New  York,  108— 
Ohio,  151— Illinois,  156,  158. 

Ev.  Botschafter,  the,  480. 

Ev.  Magazine,  378. 

Ev.  Messenger,  211. 

Evangelical  Association,  origin 
of,  9-17;  Name  adopted,  224; 
Proposed  change,  421:  Doc- 
trines, 164;  History  of,  258,  311; 
Semi-centennial  of,  292;  Loy- 
alty of,  351,  361. 

Eyer  fam.,  hist,  of,  20. 

CFAYETTE  COUNTY,  work  in, 
*  132. 

Fleisher,  John,  letter  of,  133. 
Florida,  miss,  est.,  458. 
Fraternal  Delegates,  the  first,270. 
Franklin  Cir.  formed.  111. 
Fry  fam.,  the,  64. 

QBRMANY,  work  est.  in,  474. 
Geistliche  S^itenspiel,  das, 224. 

General  Assembly,  the  first,  22. 

General  meetings,  26,  218;  Confer- 
ence, the  first,  224;  Members 
of,  228,  249;  First  delegate 
oonf.,  269. 

Greensburg  Seminary,  est.,  200. 

Gleim,  Geo.,  35. 

Gipple  fam.,  53 

14  AMMER  FAM.,  conversion  of. 
92. 

Hamburg,  Albright,  visits,  28. 
Haldeman's,,  preaching  place,  34. 
Heathen  Mission,  481. 
Hirakawa,  T.,  ord.  of,  484. 
History,  Orwlg's,  311. 
Huguenots,  the,  10. 
Hudson,  Miss  Rachel,  483. 
Hummel  Class,  org.,  65. 

INDIAN  MASSACRE  IN  MINN., 
'  .^'?s. 

Indiana,  work  est.  in,  163;  First 

church,  164. 
Illinois,  work  est.  in.,  157;  First 

diuroh,    161;    Camp- meeting, 

the  first,  1«1. 
Iowa,  work  est.  in,  335. 

JAPAN  MISS.,  est.  of,  481:  first 
...    fruits  of.  483,  434;  Native  min- 
isters. 434.  440-446.  578. 
Jonestown  Class,  est..  46. 

l^ANSAS    MISSION,    320;  first 

church,  330. 
Kimmel,  Geo.,  schism  of,  242. 
Klelnfelter  fam..  hist,  of,  113. 
Kocherthal,  Rev.  Joslah,  colony 

of,  11. 


LANDMARKS,  quoted.  234. 

Language  Question,  the,  174, 

177,  241.  259-340. 
Lafayette  Seminary,  est.  of,  199. 
Lebanon,  44,  103. 
Lehn  Class,  50. 
Lehigh,  96. 
Lewisburg.  79. 
Living  Epistle,  the.  378. 

IVIETHODIST.  conf.,  the  newly 
formed.  219. 

Maryland,  work  est.  in.  115.  121. 

Mennonites.  the.  10. 

Minnesota,  work  est.  in,  316.  319. 

Michigan.  255. 

Miller  fam.,  32 

Millheim  Class.  85. 

Missionary  Society,  hist.  of.  200. 

Missionary,  woman's,  202;  For- 
eign, 294. 

Missionary  Messenger,  est.,  203. 

Ministry,  character  of,  179;  Hard- 
ships of,  181;  Prayer  for,  183. 

Moravians,  the,  13. 

Morrison's  Cove  Class,  125. 

Mount  Rock  Class,  120. 

Muhlenberg.  Rev.  H.  M.,  14. 

JMEWCOMMER,  BISHOP  C.  15. 

New  Berlin, work  est.  in, 67, 68. 
New  York,  108;  first  church,  110. 
Normal  Course  of  Study.  459. 

QATH    Bound    Societies  Con- 
^  demned.  284. 
Orphan  Home,  est.,  204. 
Orwig  fam..  hist.  of.  34,  81. 
Orwigsburg  Revival,   the.  89.  92; 

Bishop  Seybert's  testimony,92. 
Ohio,  work  est.  in.  137. 

PASTORAL  Limit  Extended. 
'  377. 

Parsonages,  184.  233. 
Pacific  Coast,  work  on.  485. 
Palatines,  the,  10. 
Pentecostal  Meeting,  first.  21. 
Pennsylvania  Germans,  the.  9,  13. 
Periodicals,  hist  of.  211. 
Pines,  the  work  at.  118. 
Philadelphia,  103. 
Protracted    Meetings,    origin  of. 
186. 

Plan  of  Study,  269. 
Plainfleld  Coll-ege,  est..  197. 
Phillips  fam..  the.  74.  108. 
Probation  System  Abolished,  377. 

QUARTERLY  MEETINGS,  est., 
185. 

DAIDABAUGH  FAM.,  convert- 
ed.  53. 

Rank,  Hon.  John,  biog.  of.  8.^ 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER.  646 


Reading,  104. 
Ream,  Mich.,  85. 

CALART,  lowest,  229;  full,  266; 
^  regulated,  285. 

Sanctification  controversy  settled, 
360. 

Saylor  family,  the,  94. 
Schlatter,  Rev.  Mich.,  14. 
Schwenkfelders,  the,  13,  97. 
Sohaefferstown,  Albright  visits,35. 
Schuylkill  Seminary,  198. 
Social  Conference,  the,  225. 
Sunday  Schools,  est.,  207,  248. 
Sunday  Sschool  Periodicals,  20Y. 
Sunday  School  and  Tract  Union, 
Superanuated    Preachers,  Fund 
for.  334-243. 

TEXAS,  work  founded,  428. 
Thomas  fam.,  hist.,  49-58. 


IJNION  SEMINARY,  est.,  194. 
Union  With  Other  Churches 
Proposed,  169,  255. 
Union  Biblical  Institute,  198. 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,  17. 

WARNER  APPT.,  127. 

Virginia,  work  est.  In,  135. 

\YASHINGTON,    work   est.  in, 
465. 

Walter  fam.,  hist.,  46-63. 
Wagoner,  Obristoj,,-her,  revival  at, 
91. 

Wesco,  Philip,  appt.,  31. 
Wisconsin,  work  est.  in,  161. 
Woman's  Miss.  Soc,  446. 
Woman's  Crusade,  the,  392. 
W'hite  Deer,  82. 

7IMMERMAN  PAM.,  the,  31. 
^  Zinzendorf,  Count  von,  13. 


ABLETT,  J.  H.,  454. 

Acker,  J.  D.,  459. 
Ackerman,  W.,  404. 
Adams,  J.,  279;  di.,  435. 
Ade,  C,  350. 
Alber,  J.,  451. 
Alberding,  T.,  371. 
AUes,  P.,  298— P.  E.,  385— E.,  467. 
Albright,   Jacob,    (founder),  512; 

conversion  of,  18;  ordination, 

22— B.  D.,  356. 
Altimos,  Solomon,  244,  255,  262. 
Althouse,  Henry,  301,  308— W.  A., 

433. 

Allen,  J.  N.,  356— G.  K.,  580. 
Alsbach,  Mich.,  309,  469— H.,  di., 

321— W.,  335. 
Alshouse,  G.  M.,  466. 
.\lstadt,  G.,  426. 
Ash,  J.  P.,  470. 
Albert,  S.  S.  350. 
.\nstein,  Geo.,  242. 
Anderson,  D.  W.,  452— S.  B.,  470. 
Anthes,  J.  C,  297— Jacob,  390— J., 

354. 

.Vpgar,  J.  A..  322. 

.A.nthony,  C.  W.,  350,  403— B.  F., 

393,  465. 
Arnt,  F.,  452. 
Arlen,  H.,  416. 
Arnold,  O.,  441. 
Artman,  D.  A.,  577. 
Armstrong,  H.,  435. 
Archer,  J.,  393. 
Arkless,  J.,  364. 
Arthur,  E.  B.,  353. 
Apel,  C,  427. 
Ashenbrenner,  J.,  408. 
Assman,  H.,  350— F.,  358. 
Atokinson,  J.,  467— C.  L.,  369. 


Aueracher,  J.,  412— P.  E.,  578. 
Augenstein,  Ch.,  113,  239--P.  E., 
337. 

Aubel,  Oh.,  133,  239-374. 

Aurand,  Simon,  313— C.  V.  B.,  453. 

Axthelm,  Wm.,  414. 

RALL,  A.,  385. 

^  Bach,  Theo,  380^P.  E.,  575. 
Backmeier,  F.,  395— P.  E. 
Barber,  James,  biog.,  537. 
Barth,  G.,  451. 

Baker,  Prof.  F.  M.,  196,  380,  415— 
R.,  358— J.  D.,  467— C.  H.,  332, 
335. 

Backman,  W.,  305. 
Bancroft,  G.,  578. 
Baily,  E.  B.,  577. 
Basom,  H.  S.,  400. 
Bates,  J.  H.,  370— W.,  413. 
Bastian,  Jacob,  292. 
Bair,  H.  H.,  329. 
Bartles,  A.,  368— C,  di.,  454. 
Bachman,  W.,  308— J.  G.,  323. 
Banzhof,  J.,  di.,  369. 
Barr,  N.  A..  410. 
Ballinger,  G.  W.,  441. 
Bartges,  O.,  393. 
Ballentine,  M.  J.,  406. 
Barshlnger,  H.  B.,  465. 
Bahn,  P.,  416. 

Barnhart,  J.  J.,  331;  P.  E.,  385— 
J.,  265— G.,  364. 

Baumgardner,  Jacob,  227 — Sam- 
uel, biog.,  537— S.  M.,  370— 
Cleophas,  371-417— Daniel,  367— 
G.,  354— M.  N.,  369— A.  S.,  389 
— F.,  393— S.  H.,  467— L.  I.,  381. 

Barowaskie,  O.,  462. 

Bayer,  J.  K.,  265. 


646  [INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


Bartholemew,  D.,  318. 
Bauerman,  J.  H.,  470. 
Bauerfeind,  J.  B.,  469. 
Beaumont,  W.  L.,  453. 
Beauchamp,  J.  M.,  464. 
Bean,  S.,  365. 
Beck,  J.,  347— O.,  395. 
Bear,  J.,  356. 

Becker  fam.,  hist.,  37,  39 — ^Abra- 
ham, 230— Benj.,  231— Michael, 
223— F.,  574. 

Beatty,  Eliaa,  314. 

Berry,  A.  W.,  406. 

Beery,  A.  F..454— W.  H., 295— Geo., 
320— B.,  355. 

Bell,  Jacob.  243. 

Bentz,  Prof.  J.  W.,  196,356— F.,  468. 

Betz,  M.,  537— John,  328. 

Berger,  Daniel,    245,    429— Henry. 

380— John,    347;    to  Germany. 

386— F.  C.  455. 
Berner,  C,  314,  368— F.,  333. 
Benker,  Paul,  297. 
Berk,  J.,  336. 

Bechtel,  H.  L.,  468— J.,  371— J..  416. 
Behmer,  E.,  467. 

Belzer,  P.,  412— L.,  468— P.,  355. 
Beaver,  E.  M.,  380. 
Berstecher,  G.,  382.  396. 
Berg,  P.,  401— C,  451. 
Becher,  L.,  427. 
Beckman,  F.,  452. 
Beale,  A.  J.,  460. 
Berkey,  F.,  454. 
Berberich.  W.,  438. 
Benfer,  H.  A.,  435. 
Benfleld,  A..  439. 
Bennington,  S.  D.,  322. 
Bender,  A.,  297— Ch..  SOS. 
Bergner.  Peter,  296. 

Berghelmer.  Wm.,  262. 

Best,  Jos.,  255— H.,  402. 

Bertolette  family— Daniel,  29,  229 
— Jacob,  415. 

Bertch,  J.  S.,  303. 

Benner,  C,  450. 

Beleu,  J.,  452. 

Berreth,  A.,  439. 

Behney,  H.  W.,  577. 

Behner,  Geo.,  275. 

Bell,  Jacob,  243. 

Black.  D.,  417— W.  I..,  384. 

Blizzard,  M.  E.,  413. 

Bloom,  N.  W..  425. 

Bird.  A.  J..  425. 

Binder.  W..  413.  451. 

Birk.  W..  411. 

Bittner,  P.,  401— H.,  428— J.  M.,461. 

Bierly,  "W.  C,  574. 

Bixler,  Jacob,  229— BenJ..  230— J. 

G..  395— D.  W..  405. 
Biddlebach,  P.  W..  401. 
Blssy.  Charles.  25— Henry,  297,  305. 
Bicker,  H.  M.,  303. 


Birk,  Jos.,  359. 

Blanchard,  "W.,  427. 

Blank,  Geo.  Adam,  538— P..  455. 

BUem,  C,  380. 

Blasser,  G.,  349-^.,  324. 

Bower,  A.,  297— iMoses,  252— A.  W., 

380— H.,  380— Isaiah,  393. 
Boiler,  C.  F.,  367— F.,  323. 
Bowles,  J.  T.,  367. 
Bott,  P.,  372. 
Bock,  A.  L.,  463. 
Bolender,  E.,  386. 
Boas,  Jacob,  537. 
Bolton,  John,  280. 
Bossier,  G.,  357. 
Bohner,  B.  F.,  335. 
Bockenmuehl,  E.,  332,  414. 
Born,  H.,  275. 

Borauff,  Fred.,  140,  230,  246— J.,360. 
Boyer,  David,  51— D.  S.,  304— K., 

328— M.,  347— L.  M.,  353;  P.  E. 

425. 

Bowersox  family,  64— Josiah.  339; 

P.  E.,  409— Reuben,  373,  424. 
Joeshore.  B.,  226. 
Bone,  F..  373.  385. 
Bonta.  E.  E..  383. 
Bornheimer,  A.,  381,  461. 
Boetzel,  A.,  316. 
Bowlin,  A.  M.,  385. 
Bogen,  A.,  451. 
Bollinger,  E.  S.,  460. 
Boughter,  J.  G.,  577. 
Boozer,  J.  H.,  577. 
Bowman,  Thomas,  322;  P.  E.,  373: 

bishop,  398— James.  384— H.  J., 

336,  365— J.  L.,  364— Dr.  J.  C, 

467. 

Bockmeyer,  F.,  P.  E.,  437. 
Beckenhauer,  C,  412. 
Bolander,  C,  449. 
Bretch,  Philip,  291. 
Braim,  C.  S..  359.  365. 
Brader.  J.  M.,  380.  580. 
Brackley,  W.,  371. 
Brant,  R..  464— C,  393.  411. 
Brandstatter,  G.,  432. 
Brauchele.  A..  412. 
Brey,  C,  417. 

Brauer,  H.,  355;  P.  E..  391— F..  382. 
Brenneman.  H.  H.  ,  424— H..  4C1. 
Brenner.  C.  418. 

Breyfogel,  Seneca.  335.  453— CUas. 

S.,  384;  P.  E.,  459. 
Brendle,  J.  C.  366;  P.  E..  442. 
Brekow.  F..  374. 
Britcher.  J.  E..  424. 
Britton.  E..  385. 
Breehtel.  H..  3S2. 
Braim,  V.,  403. 
Brightmeyer,  W.  H.,  442. 
Brltzlns.  G..  395. 
Brill.  329;  P.  E..  396.  427. 
Bishop,  J.,  289-295. 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


647 


Briimart,  W.  E.,  577. 

Bressler,  Wm.,  289. 

Brickley  family,  the,  81— George, 

81,  237;  P.  E.,  255— Daniel,  81. 

242,  454— John,  81,  262,  408— F. 

M.',  440— A.  W.,  449. 
Breitensteln    family,     the,  42— 

John,  538. 
Broadbeck,  Henry,  308,  331,  317. 
Brookhart,  P.,  675. 
Breiner,  Geo.,  369. 
Brown,  L.  D.,  277— S.,  335— C,  347 

— G..  349— J.,  349— G.  W.,  357— 

C,  380— v.,  381— J.,  395— C.,  416 

— L.,  375— G.  F.,  461— H.,  412— 

E,.  457. 
Bruckert,  J.,  396. 
Bruer,  Thomas,  221. 
Brookhouse,  H.,  462. 
Brox,  Jos.,  437. 
Brumm,  L.,  375 — P.,  395. 
Brooker,  L.  S.,  452. 
Brownmiller,  E.  S.,  384. 
Brunner,  E.,  426— A.,  433— A.  J.. 

453. 

Bryson,  J.  W.,  417. 

Brose,  Otto,  436. 

Buntz,  S.,  453. 

Buehner,  Chas.,  371. 

Bussy,  F.,  374;  P.  E.,  581. 

Burkhart,  J.,  385— C,  350. 

Buchtel,  C,  385. 

BuOholtz,  A.,  414. 

Bunse,  H.,  347;  P.  E.,  427. 

Burkett,  Jacob,  103,  242,  430— J.  A., 

389— A.  L.,  575. 
Burg,  P.,  387— G.  W.,  350. 
Burge,  W.,  387. 

Buesh,  G.  F.,  331— H.,  371— J.,  271. 

Buehler,  L.,  P.  E.,  417. 

Bretz,  Solomon,  100 — Edmund,319. 

Buehner,  J.  P.,  577. 

Butterweck,  S.,  384. 

Buzza,  J.  N.,  449. 

Burlingame,  M.,  579. 

Burnett,  G.  F.,  576. 

Buende,  A.,  413— J.,  451— J.,  468. 

Butz,  Solomon,  100 — Edmund,  319. 

Burder.  J.,  368. 

Byers,  D.  B.,  314,  biog.  634— James, 
222— J.,  354. 

Buck,  Thomas,  biog.,  53S — Solo- 
mon T.,  327— Henry  W.,  344; 
P.  E.,  466— J.  W.,  407— J.,  447. 

Bucks,  Henry,  30,  243;  P.  E.,  271— 
C,  354— W.  H.,  368;  P.  E.,  455. 

Buckwalter  family,  the,  26 — John, 
221. 

Buchman  family,  the,  119 — Abra- 
ham, 119,  221— S.,  327. 

Buecker,  H.  H.,  297. 

Buehler,  L,.,  302;  P.  E.,  350. 

Buzzard,  Joseph,  P.  E.,  365— A., 
375. 


PABL.E,  J.,  357. 

Campbell,  John,  242— William, 
250— J.  D.,  392— W.  J.,  580. 

Carmany,  J.,  373. 

Canaler,  M.,  366. 

Carothers,  Martin  J.,   277;  bio3. 

633— Geo.,  393. 
Carroll,  L.,  461. 
Case,  A.,  435. 
Caton,  W.,  382. 
Carpenter,  J.  A.,  403. 
Conrad,  W.  J.,  451— H.,  367. 
Condo,  M.,    347,  372— E.,  355-S., 

369. 

Conser,  E.,  327. 
Coleman,  G.  J.,  440. 
Colwell,  O.  F.,  460. 
Coply,  A.,  441— S.,  349;  P.  E.,  387. 
Copp,  F.  B.,  384. 
Condrea,  R.  P.,  383. 
Coon,  W.,  407. 
Coburn,  S.  B.,  411. 
Cook,  H.,  578. 
Cocklin,  S.,  390— P.,  450. 
Cole,  J.  P.,  391— J.  B.,  495,  448. 
Oourter,  J.  E.,  389. 
Comstock,  C,  366. 
Coverdale,  T.  L.,  404. 
Covert,  W.  M.,  411. 
Cover,  Henry,  309. 
Cox,  J.  B.,  277. 
Colmeler,  C,  324. 
Coy,  S.,  406. 
Coup,  P.  F.,  367. 
Clark,  Geo.,  314. 
Clair,  Jacob,  320. 
Clouser,  D.,  465. 
Clapp,  H.  M.,  424. 
Clemens,  D.,  449— H.,  375,  383— H. 
S.,  430. 

Clewell,  T.  G.,  363— Ed.  Ey.  Mess., 

316,  379;  P.  E.,  435. 
Croman,  Wm.,  367. 
Crawford,  L,.  W.,  396. 
Craly,  B.,  370. 
Cramer,  W.  H.,  454. 
Crandall,  H.  W.,  340. 
Creasjnan,  James,  317. 
Cramin,  J.,  339. 

Crowther,  S.  F.,  317— C.  L.,,407. 

Crumbling,  E.,  410— L..  E.,  440. 

Craul,  J.  F.,  435. 

Chubb,  S.  S.,  327;  P.  E.,  574. 

Curry,  J.  Q.  A.,  430. 

Culver,  A.  J.,  368,  451. 

Gulp,  J.  H.,  418. 

Cupp,  Geo.  W.,  267;  P.  E.,  336— A. 
T. 

Curtis,  N.  G.,  395— C.  G.,  336. 
Custer,  M.  L.,  392. 
Curies,  D.,  368. 
Cutler,  C,  347. 


648  INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


rjARBY,  ADAM,  280. 

Danner.  Fred,  260,  313— C.,  402 
— F.,  409. 
Darr,  H.,  364. 
Damm,  J.  H.,  381. 
Day,  U..  456— A.  B.,  440. 
Davis,  Samuel  E.,  322— C.  W.,  336 

— W.  H.,  336— A.,  354— T..  366 

— N.  T.,  390— H.  B.,  407— W.  J., 

424— J.  L,.,  574. 
Dalzell,  D.  R..  411. 
Dassel,  A.,  337.  340. 
Derom,  J.  B.,  411. 
Derrick,  R.  J..  410. 
DeVeau,  M.,  440— P.,  460. 
Decker,  A.,  374. 
Dehaven,  C,  367. 
Dewitt,  E.  K.,  368,  431. 
Dehoff.  John.  115,  222^Moses,  115, 

222. 

Delong,  A.  A.,  373. 
Delfelder,  F..  330. 
Dereich,  Jacob,  367. 
Dellinger.  Geo.,  252,  415. 
Deppen,  Isaac,  244,  366. 
Deininger,  C.  F.,  295;  P.  E.,  373, 
578. 

Deatrlck.  H.  A.,  327— J.,  371— C, 

375— Elmer,  424— T.  438. 
Detert,  W.,  407. 
Deisher,  Reuben,  274. 
Dewoody,  J.  M.,  575. 
Dewall,  J.,  468. 

Detwiler,  W.  E.,  339;  P.  E.,  415. 
Dengel,  John,  309. 
Descher,  W.,  418. 
Desgranges,  Peter,  383,  470. 
Dilabar,  Aug.,  388. 
Dice,  Levi,  380. 
Diser,  W.,  389. 
Dlckfuss,  J.,  402. 
Diete,  F.,  366. 
Dleder,  Emanuel,  285. 
Dissinger,  Moses,  blog.,  539 — I.  S., 
415. 

Dill,  John,  biog.,  163— B.  F.,  382. 
Dick,  Joseph,  280.  575— E.  F.,  411— 

J.  M.,  424— C.  J..  460. 
Dimmer,  C,  328. 
Dibble.  Jos..  317. 
Dlehl,  N.  H..  355. 
Diebler,  Mich.,  221— Noah,  30G. 
DIenst,  G.  E.,  426;  miss,  to  Japan, 

484. 

Dillow,  S.  B..  452— W.  L.,  452. 
Divan,  1.,  441— J..  464. 
Diesmeyer,  C,  413. 
DIckover.  Samuel,  279;  P.  E.,  349, 
445. 

Dotterer,  F.,  276. 
Donmeyer,  L.  B.,  328.  580. 
Doerscher.  F..  469. 
Doering,  C.  466. 
Dorstler,  A.  H.,  453. 


Douty,  H.  H.,  415. 

Domer  fam.,  hist..  133 — G.  S.,  323; 

P.  E.,  345,  467— John  D..  336; 

P.  E..  425— J.  W.,  415— J.  W., 

406. 

Downey,  Henry.  144,  290,  304— J. 
D..  407. 

Doll.  Geo.,  275. 

Dooly.  J.,  357. 

Dovenspike,  J..  357. 

Drake,  F.,  372,  408. 

Dreblow,  F.,  358. 

Drelblebis,  R.,  366,  392. 

Dreher.  C.  D..  434. 

Dressier.  Geo.,  255.  261. 

Dreisbach  family,  hist,  of,  74-78 — 
John,  biog.,  525 — Abraham, 
278,  407— Jacob,  369,  422— C.  H. 
425— A.  M.,  412. 

Drehmel.  J.,  372. 

Drlnkwater.  381. 

Dubs,  Rudolf,  315;  P.  E.,  347;  Ed. 
Ch.  Botschafter,  362;  Bishop, 
398— C.  Newton,  438— Ralph  S., 
466. 

Dunlap,  James,  265;  P.  E.,  289, 
317,  459— J.  A.,  367— G.  W.,  386 
—J.  F.,  575. 

Dumm,  John,  367. 

Duebendorf,  G..  427. 

Dutill,  Howard.  459. 

Dutcher,  Dr.  A.  P..  394. 

Dustman,  J.,  392. 

Dunkelberger,  Samuel  H.,  373,399. 

Dundore,  S.  F.,  369,  373. 

Duffy,  E.,  400. 

Duth.  H.  H..  368. 

EATON,  L.  B.,  436. 

^  Early,  Jacob,  431. 

Bby  fam.,  the,  45— E.,  388— A.,  401. 

Bbinger,  Christian,  162. 

Eberling,  J.,  393. 

Bbbert,  Joseph,  237,  459— J.,  453. 

Bberhardt  fam.,  the,  109— Uriah, 

109;  P.  E.,  289— Levi,  109,  263; 

P.  E..  329— Prof.  J.  F..  199— G. 

F.,  385. 
Eckerman.  D.  C.  390. 
E)ckert,  John,  271— Geo.,    307— J. 

F..  366— D.,  467. 
E>:kley,  W.,  323. 
Edgar.  John,  267— G.  W..  433. 
Eller,  M.,  344. 
Emde,  F..  333. 

Enders.  Nich.,  112— George,  234. 
Engel,  L.,  344— S.,  366. 
Enterleln,  D.  B.,  370. 
Bisenhauer,  T.,  370.  454. 
Eiterman.  L.  H.,  281. 
Edie,  J.  B..  578. 
ETlchenlaub,  G.,  371. 
Ellert,  F.,  383— R.,  467. 
Ellert.  M.,  365— H..  390. 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER.  «49 


Ellenberger,    D.,   374— G.,   3-<l— F. 

P.,  425. 
Elfman,  J.,  407. 

Elmer.  U.,  371— W.,  414,  469— J., 
454. 

Elrich,  J.,  455— W.  W.,  460. 
Elfrlng,  E.,  394. 
Elsenfcerger,  John,  125,  229. 
Els,  Michael,  252,  46.5. 
Einsel,  Lewis,  14,''.,  148  ,  250— E.  D., 
382. 

Etnmert,  L.  E.,  414. 

Emmel,  J.,  375. 

Egger,  F.,  438. 

Bgli,  A.,  407. 

Eigner,  B.  F.,  577. 

Egge,  W.,  313— C.  H.,  355. 

Ernet,  A.,  452. 

Erisman,  A.  L.,  574— S.  P.,  579. 

Erdman,  F.  E.,  392. 

Erfmeyer,  C.  F.,  412— G.  J.,  451— 
S.,  468. 

Erhart,  Chas.,  459,  464. 

Erb,  John,  biog.,  539— Joseph,  459. 

Essig,  C.  F.,  575. 

Esslinger,  J.  G.,  451. 

Essenwein,  J.  B.,  459. 

Bsch,  J.,  367— Henry,  287— T.,  373. 

Escher,  John  Jacob,  276;  P.  E., 
315;  Bishop,  343— J.  George,  P. 
E.,  315,  459— Christian,  346. 

Bttinger  fam.,  hist.,  115,  lie- 
Adam,  biog.,  540— Jesse  M., 
biog.,  540— Benj.,  222— P.,  432. 

Entorf,  S.  F.,  441;  P.  E.,  581. 

Ewald,  D.,  394. 

Epply,  Benj.,  252— J.  W.,  426. 

Evans,  E.,  324— A..  401— A.,  404— 
E.,  404— W.,  411— H.  M.,  415— 
J.  H.,  431— M.  A.,  575. 

CAHNEtL,  B.  J.,  467. 

Eager,  J.  A.,  369— J.,  441. 
Faus,  H.,  336— O.,  370. 
Farnsworth.  J.  C,  266,  450. 
Fetter,  W.  M.,  450. 
Felix,  G.,  367— L.  B.,  461. 
Fee,  T..  456. 

Fehr,  C.  K.,  335;  P.  E.,  385— J.  K., 
373— D.  E.,  373— C.  T.,  407— W. 
H.,  436. 

Peit,  B.  F.,  367. 

Ferner,  J.  W..  390. 

Fenner,  J.,  373. 

Penstermacher,  F.,  368. 

Finger,  C.  F.,  332;  P.  E.,  417— H., 
357. 

Fink,  D.  W..  390— J.,  402— H.  M., 
454. 

Finkbinder,  G.,  385— C.  W.,  415— 

C,  461. 
Ficht,  William,  279. 
Fidder,  G.,  575. 
Flchtner,  Daniel,  130— J.,  425. 


Fisher,  Henry,  biog.,  541— David, 
541— Jacob,  290— Joseph,  296; 
P.  E.,  340— William,  308— G.  B., 
327— A.,  402—1.  B.,  409— H.  L., 

P.  E..  376;  di.,  432— L.  S.,  442— A. 
S.,  467. 

Finney,  G.  W.,  411. 

File,  P.  S.,  406,  415. 

Flickinger,  A.  E.,  464. 

Fleisher,  John,  55.  133— D.,  296— 
George,  296— J.  H.,  336. 

Floto,  C.  F.,  435. 

Flegler,  G.,  401. 

Fliehr,  C.  B.,  338;  P.  E.,  425;  di., 
459. 

Fluck,  W.  R.,  459. 
Fosselman,  M.  F.,  424. 
Forry,  A.,  465 — Abraham,  255. 
Porkel,  W.,  468— Valentine,  349. 
Fordman,  A.  E.,  405. 
Fondre,  A.,  395. 
Fogel,  J.,  357. 
Folger,  W.,  358,  368. 
Foltz,  P.,  336. 
Force,  W.,  468. 

Foy,  Jaccb,  230^George,  281,  296— 

J   H  336 
Foch't,  Daniel,  89,  274— Geo.  327. 
Fox,  John,  305;  P.  E.,  376— J.  M., 

350— J.  B.,  430— D.  F.,  462— D. 

H.,  442. 
Fondry,  J.,  443. 
Fouke,  W.  H.,  402. 
Erase,  F.,  391. 
Franks,  Geo.,  413— F.,  450. 
Franzen,  Geo.,  297. 
Frankhouser,  J.,  332;  P.  E.,  419. 
Frankenfield.  S.,  335. 
Frain,  Isaac.  367. 
Freed,  H.  W.,  384— J.  K.,  459. 
Frederick,  W.,  324— G.,  396,  402— 

W.  E.,  579. 
Frehmel,  J.,  365. 
Frielmel,  C,  346. 

Freeh,  F.,  272,  460— Geo.,  364— F., 
459. 

Friess,  Samuel,  246. 
Fricker,  Phil.,  350;  P.  E.,  434. 
Fruh,  John,  115,  222,  381. 
B'ritsche,  G.,  329;  P.  E.,  358— J., 
369. 

Fritz,  J.,  392— W.,  408. 

Frymier,  T.  L.,  574. 

Fry  fam.,  hist.,  64— >racob,  64,  219 
—Jacob,  246,  317— .Samuel.  245 
—Abraham,  266,  327— Joshua, 
308— John,  331— S.,  374— J.,  390 
— D.,  393— W.,  394— A.,  395— M. 
C.  441— Noah,  451— Charles, 
674— S.  P.,  579. 

Fueher,  C,  469. 

Fussner,  H.,  450. 

Fuhs,  G.,  386. 

Funk,  H.  W.,  358. 


650  INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


Puessele,  A.,  368;  P.  E.,  451— G., 
422,  472— A.  E.,  575. 

r^ABLE,  C,  336. 

^  Garrett,  W.,  297— C.  F.,  465. 

Garner,  J.,  381. 

Garrison,  Benj.,  389. 

Garl,  D.,  340. 

Gassman,  F.  A.,  432 — E.,  462. 

Gammertsfelder,  S.,  390— W.,  461. 

Gathers,  H.  R.,  373,  448. 

Gallagher,  S.,  460. 

Gagstatter,  M.,  414. 

Gauerke,  M.,  433. 

Gattle,  Chris.  B.,  263. 

Gaumer,  S.,  27^E.,  369. 

Gates,  (Getz)  John  Adam,  147— 
Peter,  148,  245,  437— G.,  411,  466 
—A.,  452— H.,  468— S.  B.,  469. 

Geary,  F.  D.,  439. 

Gerhart,  Carl,  452. 

Gebhart,  J.,  321— C.  F.,  406. 

George,  T.,  323— N.,  389— N.  S.,  406 
— Thos.  A.,  459. 

Gehman,  A.,  457— L.  H.,  341. 

Gehler,  F.  G.,  375. 

Gehrlng,  J.,  375. 

Gelst,  A.,  382. 

Gelser,  G.  H.,  385. 

Gerlnger,  G.,  467. 

Geiss  "W.  341. 

Gehr,'  Nich.,  266— Editor,  211. 

Gelsse,  F.,  336. 

Geltzenlichter,  N.,  314. 

Geissel,  Fred.,  310. 

Gingerlch,  L.,  455— C,  297. 

Gibens,  Jos.,  307. 

Gilmore,  G.  W.,  380. 

Glllhousen,  John,  346. 

Gluntz,  G.,  464. 

Glasser,  Fred.,  229— L.,  364— E.,3S4. 

Glaus,  C,  268,  404. 

Glantz,  P.,  357. 

Gllck,  H.  J.,  392. 

Gloeg,  F.,  358. 

Gladfelter,  W.  F.,  410. 

Gobble,  Prof.  Aaron  E.,  196,  415. 

Goebel,  N.,  297— A.,  461. 

Good,  A.,  468. 

Goodling,  E.,    380— C.  H.,  424-E. 

O.,  449. 
Gohn,  G.,  389.  577. 
Gongall,  J.,  391. 
Gomer,  Mich.,  324. 
Gottwald,  A.  Z.,  296— W.  H.,  320. 
Goessele,  W.,  P.  E.,  372. 
Golden,  A.  L.,  575. 
Goetschel,  A.,  335. 
Gogstetter,  C,  332. 
Gockley,  A.,  323. 

Graham,    Philip,     380— M.,  406— 

Philip,  303,  370— J.  W.,  367. 
Gruver,  P.,  574. 
Graep,  G.,  416. 


Green,  C,  38e— T.,  406— W.,  457. 
Graebenstein,  M.,  433. 
Graeben,  J.,  456. 

Grenzenbaoh,    J.    H.,  461— John, 

296,  348. 
Grenninger,  H.  N.,  373. 
Gressly,  P.,  418. 

Gramley,  C.  H.,   364— Andrew  J., 
3S0. 

Gray,  C.  W.,  349. 

Graves,  Uriah,  323— H.,  34S.  438. 

Grimm,  E.,  350— L...  371,  376— J.  A., 

357;  P.  E.,  389. 
Graumer,  S..  424. 
Gregg,  W.  B.,  280. 
Grueneisen,  J.,  340. 
Gross,  Jos.,  264,  448— Jacob,  276— 

G.  W.,  392— W.,  402— H.  W.,508. 
Greenwald,  A.  J.,  506. 
Gruener,  M.,  383;  P.  E.,  463. 
Griese,  Val..  402. 

Groff,  G.  M.,  357— F.,  357— Carl.371. 

Group,  Philip,  393. 

Grobe,  W.,  416. 

Grumbein,  H.  B.,  416— H.,  418. 

Guhl,  M.,  319,  344,  486. 

Guelich.  H.,  438,  344;  P.  E.,  386. 

Guinther,  J.  L.,  415. 

UAMMER  FAM.,  92— Charles, 
"   biog..  544. 

Hamilton,  John,  231— T.,  429,  575— 
J.,  416. 

Hambrlght,  D.,  285,  453— W.  W., 
366,  439. 

Haman,  Chas.  S.,  308;  P.  E.,  370. 
Hammeter,  John,  319;  P.  E.,  347; 

dl..  35S— M.,  329. 
Hampe,  H.,  296. 
Hansing,  S.,  374— C,  396. 
Hanks,  J.  S.,  364. 
Hangen,  G.  W..  577. 
Hanger,  J.,  306. 
Hanshaw,  John,  267. 
Harper,  T.,  327. 
Harm,  Geo.,  327. 

Harris,  M.  W.,  322,  434— Leonard 

K.,  370. 
Harrod,  H.  H.,  368. 
Hallowell,  A.  S.,  349. 
Harter,  F.,  375. 
Hass,  H.,  350— A..  386. 
Haller,  J.  G.,  414— J.  G.,  439— G., 

366. 

Hallwacha.  G.,  428. 
Haley,  Geo.,  268;  P.  E.,  318. 
Hall,  B.  F.,  295— J..  407. 
Harlacher,  Jos.,  biog..  542. 
Hahn,  Prof.  W.  J.,  200— Philip,  265 

—P.  W.,  331— A.  F.,  408— W.  J.. 

353— J.  F.,  355— A.,  449— E.,  5TS. 
Hager,  Jonas,  320. 
Hainea,  G.  T.,   biog.,  542— T.  L., 

386— O.  S.,  580. 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


651 


Haseler,  Henry,  226. 
Haefele,  A.,  416. 

Hartman,  Martin,  249— W.  H.,  406 
—A.  M.,  424-.H.  W.,  432. 

Hadlock,  J.  C.  460. 

Hampe,  P.  A.,  407. 

Hardle,  C,  426. 

Hard,  D.  D.,  441. 

Haist,  F.,  394— A.  Y.,  466. 

Hartung,  C.  P.,  345. 

Haverfleld,  I.  T.,  451. 

Hare,  E.  P.,  393. 

Hater  man.  P.,  402. 

Hayden,  S.  P..  451. 

Hauser,  Q.,  456— L.  M.,  450— A.  L., 
468. 

Halm'huber,  A.,  405,  482,  439. 
Hauptfueher,  P.,  393. 
Haldeman  Ch.,  272— J.,  418— G.  E., 
450. 

Haupt,  W.,  364. 
Hart,  C,  36&-^.,  395. 
Hashinger,  W.  434. 
Haltzman,  J.  L.,  451. 
Hauert,  Matthias,  250,  369. 
Hauch,  Thomas,  S14— J.  T.,  456. 
Haug  John,  318,  436. 
Hack,  E.,  366. 

Hartzler,  Jacob,  313;  Editor  Ev. 

Mess.,  378;  Supt.  Japan  Miss., 

482;  P.  E.,  574— Henry  B.,  367— 
Ed.  Ev.  Mess.,  422— A.,  350,  417— 

W.  H.,  577. 
Hesser,  Chas.,  blog.,  543. 
Hesa,   Benj.,   272— T.,    380— Isaac, 

285— E.  E.,  372. 
Heckathorn  G.  C,  368— A.,  383. 
Hell,  Mich.,  332,  575— N.,  366— W. 

P..  424;  P.  E.,  580. 
Hedlman,  G.,  437— A.,  324. 
Heinlng-er,    Samuel,   372 — Daniel, 

320. 

Heiser,  W.,  383. 
Hoineck,  C,  391. 

Heinmlller,  G.,  391— L.,  431— J.,  4, 
32. 

Heinrich,  G.  P.,  368— C,  417. 
Heine,  H.,  357. 
Heisler,  J.  S.,  577—1.,  430. 
Heidner,  W.  P.,  371. 
Heim,  C,  347— W.,  415. 
Heibenthal,  H.,  4fl2. 
Heldeh,  C,  310. 

Heilscher,  G.  W.,  408;  P.  E..  403. 
Helss  fam.,  the — ^Samuel,  Henry, 

Levi,  Jacob,  Peter,  107,  380. 
Hehr,  P.,  33&— P.,  364. 
Hensel,  H.,  376,  349— J.  R.,  399— J., 

401. 

Herrold,  S.,  380. 
Hendricks,  J.,  384. 
Henneman,  W.,  394. 
Hetrlok,  L.  H.,  373. 
Herr,  B.  S.,  370— Conrad,  287. 


Hemkens,  G.,  451. 
Helsel,  C,  367. 
Held,  E.,  416— P.,  ai5. 
Herb,  D.,  366.  407. 
Hertle,  Geo,  biog.,  388,  324. 
Hengst,  BenJ.  P.,  280;  P.  E.,  313. 
Henn,  Jacob,  313;  P.  E.,  387. 
Hennig  fam.,  the,  84— Adam,  221, 
544. 

Herman,  L.,  314— J.,  418,  437— John, 
440. 

Herlan,  Prantz,  291;  P.  E.,  344. 
Hershberger,  D.  J.,  415. 
Hetner,  John  A.,  380. 
Henkey,  Lewis,  27— L.  W.,  374. 
Hershey,  John.  107,  261— U.  H.,  373, 
577. 

Hertz,  John,  400. 

Hettler,  G.  A.,  401. 

Herwig,  J.,  368. 

Herring,  G.,  358,  412. 

Hershner,  J.  L.,  419. 

Henni,  Stephen,  328. 

HefCner,  C.  W.,  577. 

Himmel,   Jacob.   307;    P.  E..  374. 

434— J.,  431,  575. 
Himmelreich,  John,  238. 
Hinkel,  Geo.,  301— Adam,  308.  425 

— G..  364. 
High,  J.  J.,  384. 
Hippensteel,  Henry,  364. 
Hippert,  S.  349. 
Hildebrand,  Martin  A.,  413. 
Hines,  P.  H..  462. 
Hirst,  A.  v.,  405. 
Hintze,  Henry,  318:  P.  E.,  390. 
Hohnsted,  W.,  382— W.  H.,  358— 

D.,  403. 
Hoch,  I.,  366. 
Hough,  J.  M.;  P.  E.,  390. 
Houst,  H.,  454. 
Hofsomer,  A..  373. 
Holtzman,  H.,  438— Geo.,  314. 
Holdridge,  H.,  33T. 
Holswarth,  A..  331;  P.  E.,  440— A. 

A..  456;  P.  E..  461— A.,  461— P. 

S.,  466. 
Hollinger,  J.,  331,  379. 
Hollyraan,  H.,  338. 
HofEert,  Isaac,  253,  495. 
Honecker.  Jacob,  275— John,  281. 
Horn.  W.,  337— E.  S.  S.  Lit.,  382; 

Ch.  Dot.,  447— Henry,  3S5. 
Hornberger,  Zach.,  303— J.  C,  347; 

P.  E.,  424;  Ed.  Eng.  S.  S.  Lit., 

471. 

Holtzappel.  G.,  448. 

Hoehn,  M..  296;  P.  E.,  340. 

Hook,  Jacob,  236. 

Holl,  Oh.,  249,  394— John,  256. 

Houtz,  W.  H.,  356— J.,  403. 

Hoffman,  Prancis,  biog.,  554,  154 — 
Prof.  P.  C,  186.  327— Elisha  A., 
364— John,    321— Geo.,    393— P., 


652 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


Hoy  fam.,  the,  72,  78,  143— Samuel, 
143;  P.  E.,  374— John,  143— J., 
401. 

Hoover,  J.  W.,  399— S.,  408,  456— 

J.  W.,  415— D.  E.,  442. 
Hosll,  H.,  394. 
Hosbach,  J.,  450. 
Hochstettler.  E.,  369. 
Houg-htley,  J.,  382. 
Homuth,  F.,  391. 

Hollenbach,  J.,  388— J.  A.,  406— R., 
453. 

Husser,  G.,  427. 

Kurd,  H.  H.,  454. 

Humbert,  J.  M.,  455. 

Huebner,  S.  K.,  574— H.,  425. 

Hunsberger,  J.,  352. 

Huelscher,  J.,  365. 

Hunter,  Robt.  C,  238— Geo.,  286. 

Huelster,  August,  309;  P.  E.,  443— 
Henry,  314;  P.  E.,  341— Fred. 
324— Wm.,  346;  P.  E.,  451— 
Anton,  350— E.  W.,  468. 

Hurtze.  H.,  333. 

Hummel,  Christian,  252 — Joseph 
254— A.,  410— E.  P.,  425— J.  V.. 
450. 

Hummelsheim,  Levi,  272. 
Hut'h,  Abr.,  221. 
Hummelbach,  H.,  373. 
Hyde,  J.  S.,  297,  353. 


IDLEMAN,  CHRISTIAN,  296, 
'  302. 

Illian,  F..  394— H.,  408. 

Irvine,  Armstrong  H..  327— John 

A.,  374. 
Imboden,  G.  W.,  579. 
Ingram,  J.,  349. 
Ingel,  W.  H.,  364. 
Immel,  C,  368. 
Inhelder,  M.,  402;  P.  E.,  463. 
Ilgin,  P.,  468. 
Isker,  H..  456. 
Lsch,  J.,  390. 


lACOBS,  JOHN  A.,  246— Prof. 
^    Otis  L.,  440. 

Jacoby,  L.,  279;  P.  E.,  367,  429. 

Jackson,  G.,  373— H.  M.,  470. 

James,  J.,  393— E.,  410. 

Jameson,  Alex.,  218— M.  J.,  453. 

Jarrett.  P.  F.,  384. 

Jauch,  J.,  349. 

Jenny,  J.,  298. 

Jenkins,  W.  S.,  578. 

Johnson,  D.  B.,  370— J.  M.,  408- J. 

H.,  432— Geo.,  451— W.  J..  453. 
Jones,  W.  H.,  386— L.  A.,  463. 
Jonas,  Wm.,  391. 
Joseph,  Oeo.,  400. 
Just,  J.  P.;  P.  E..  412. 


KAAG,  GEO.,  272,  309. 

Kable,  C,  268. 
Kanaga,  Josiah,  278 — J.  B.,  425. 
Kantner,  W.  C.  404. 
Kahl,  J.,  354— D.  T.,  451. 
Kaltreiter,  Fred,  223. 
Karcher,  J.,  350. 

Kauffman,  John,  255— Conrad.  26S, 
John,  297;  P.  E..  432— G.,  354- 
A..  366— W.;  P.  E.,  383. 

Kessler,  Elmer,.  574. 

Kearstetter,  John,  253,  417. 

Keagel,  Henry,  246,  301— J.  H.,462. 

Kechele,  Jacob,  biog.,  634. 

Keil,  Simon,  263,  265. 

Keiper,  Jacob.  291,  297. 

Kachel,  C.  F.,  456. 

Keene,  E.  D.,  430. 

Kempfer,  H.,  319,  415. 

Kehr  fam.,  the,  65— Daniel.  23S, 
380— Jacob,  246,  331— D.  W.,462. 

Kembel,  D.  Z.,  344. 

Kemerling,  Jacob,  262— L.,  375—1. 
W.,  428. 

Kemmerer,  A.,  366— W..  371— W., 
375. 

Kearney,  G.  A..  416. 

Kern,  Daniel.  256— C,  3*6— S.,  418 

—J.,  357— J.  B.,  384. 
Kelly,  Levi,  280. 
Kepner,  Daniel.  327 — J.  A.,  415. 
Keller,  Benj.,  302,  461— H.,  340— J., 

357— B.  F.,  393— G.,  410— G., 437. 
Keeler,  J.  H.,  372;  P.  E..  436. 
Keiser,  J.,  425. 
Ketterman,  J.,  419. 
Kiehnholtz,  J.,  365. 
Kinley,  H.,  418. 

Kiplinger,  Elias,  318;  P.  E.,  3S3— 

J.,  337— J.,  375— L.,  383. 
Kiekhofer,  H.,  394— G.  F..  43S. 
KillhefCer,  C.  M.,  411. 
Kinsey,  L.  A.,  575. 
Kiest,  C.  F.,  462. 
Kindt,  A.,  356. 
Kitchen,  W.,  374. 
King,  J.  M.,  367— J.,  370— W.,  375. 
Klrkpatrick,  N.  J.,  455. 
Kissel,  J.  G..  290. 
Klaiber,  C.  451— M.  321. 
Klatt,  H.,  402. 

Kline.  D.  P.,  389— A.,  317— A.  8.. 
439. 

Kliphart.  J.  J.,  394;  P.  E.,  449. 
Klopfer,  Geo.,  263— O.,  468. 
Kletzinger  Henry,  289.  575. 
Kletzing,  H.  F.,  407. 
Kleinfelter  fam.,   the,   113— John, 
546— Jacob,    64«— Adam,  646— 
Jacob  (second),  237— Emanuel, 
313— William  H.,  365. 
Kleinknecht.  J.  G..  S29. 
Klelnsorg,  Henry,  323. 
Klaholtz.  C,  450 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


Klump,  F.,  401-nJ.,  454. 
Knebel,  A..  P.  E.,  443. 
Knechtel,  S.,  449— J.,  365. 
Knoll,  C,  40G— M.,  372— H..  442— C, 
442. 

Knoche,  Geo.,  452— J.,  365. 

Knable,  A.,  355. 

K noble.  A.,  368— G.  C,  374. 

Knaublock,  W.,  369. 

Knetterllng,  O.,  358. 

Knecht,  T.,  579. 

Knopf,  F.,  413. 

Knerr,  Geo..  289— J.  K.,  331—1.  E., 

331;  P.  E.,  400,  465— G.  A.,  459. 
Kneisley,  C,  339. 
Koehl,  John,  276— H.,  358. 
Kohr,  Emanuel,  biog.  547. 
Kohler,  W.  A.,  428— F.,  467. 
Kohlmeyer,  Conrad,  318. 
Kostenbader,  D.  T.,  465. 
Kolmer,  J.,  396. 

Koch.  Charles,  280;  Ed.  Ch.  Bot., 
312— Charles,  371— C,  390— C. 
R.,  436— L.  S.,  439— G..  442. 

Koehn,  J.,  287. 

Koenlg-,  W.,  349— W..  369— W.,  450. 

Kortenmeyer,  S.,  366. 

Koepsel,  H..  372. 

Kolander,  W.,  394. 

Kopp.  J.  J.,  biog.,  141— Christ.,  265, 

432— S.,  331. 
Kolb,  William,  272,  463— C.  H.,  371 

—Geo.,  372— Wm.,  459— J.  H.. 

408— L.,  347— J.  I.,.,  578. 
Koester,  H.,  303. 
Kooker,  D.  H.,  358;  P.  E.,  .391. 
Koontz,  E.  W.,  424^3.  E.,  583. 
Kreiamer.  John,  255 — Daniel,  277 — 

John,  280,  465-JIenry,  318— A. 

W.,  356— W.,  581— Chas..  451— 

H.  A.,  468. 
Kraus,   Abraham,  286— Ellas  B., 

318;  P.  E.,  450— J.  C.,  424— S.  P., 

451. 

Krecker,  Frederick,  254;  P.  E.,  305, 
577 — Dr.  Frederick,  jr..  biog., 
545— Augustus,  392. 

Krall,  Samuel,  254. 

Kraushar,  F.,  441. 

Kraft,  S.,  426— J.,  454. 

Kreh,  D.,  406. 

Krell,  S.,  418. 

Kring  family,   the,   126— Conrad, 

230,  545— S.  B.,  545. 
Kresge,  T.  S.,  469. 
Krupp,  B.  C.  453-S.,  317;  P.  E., 

371. 

Kruger.  F.,  438— M..  315;  P.  E..396. 
Kreldler.  H.  D.,  579. 
Kronmiller,  J.  M.,  305. 
Kuelin,  A.,  413— E.,  441. 
Kunselman,  W.,  373. 
Kunkle,  L.,  371. 
Kunst.  C,  394. 


Kuhns,  H.  W..  384. 
Kuter,  Israel,  304;  P.  E.,  365. 
Kutz,  Jos.,  319. 
Kuhnholtz,  J.,  355. 
Kuenzell,  J.,  349— F.,  349. 
Kuegel,  J.,  346. 

Kurtz,  John,  309,  324,  430— Fred., 
339— G.,  451. 

I  ANTZ,  GEO.,  27,  288. 

Lashall,  H.,  374. 
Landis,  G.  H.,  351. 
L^den,  Jesse,  393. 
Lance,  J.  F.,  443. 
Landwehr,  F.  W.,  468. 
Lang,  C.  S.,  468. 
Langenstein,  G.,  365. 
Lanzhof,  J.,  329. 
Lamb,  J.  H.,  431. 
Larmon,  W.  S.,  575. 
Lageschulte,  Henry,  304;  P.  E.,347. 
Laros,  J.,  348. 
Lautenslager,  T.,  371. 
Lauer,   Martin,   271;  P.  E.,  374— 

Publisher,  447. 
Launer,  F.,  356,  450. 
Lawrence,  J.,  349,  418. 
Lavan,  D.  K.,  385;  P.  E.,  449. 
Lauver,  Jacob,  410. 
Laux,  P.,  457. 

Laury,  Geo.  H.,  384— S.,  348. 
Lerch  Jesse,  348— S.,  345. 
Leaf,  G.,  349. 

Leopold,  A.,  348,  580— W.  A.,  35fr— 

S.  T.,  392. 
Lehn,  Mich.,  255;  P.  E.,  267,  345. 
Lehew,  J.,  372. 
Leland,  T.,  455. 
Lehman,  R.,  431. 
Leuther,  F.,  350. 
Leslie,  L.  E.,  384. 
Leply,  D.  S.,  400. 

Leonard,  E.  P.,  410— C.  W.,  453— 

R.  T.,  574. 
Leuder,  H.,  432. 
Lewis,  H.,  469. 
Lelchman,  R.,  443. 
Lelphart,  H.,  412— J.  C,  435. 
Leib.  John  P.,  biog.,  547. 
Lentz,  John,  244— David,  335— W. 

376.  I  I  .. 

Leas,  Isaac,  296— Prof.  J.  H.,  331, 

349. 

Lechler,  Wm.,  318. 
Lehr,  F.  P.,  303— J.  O.,  305;  P.  E. 
400. 

Leibenderfer,  J.,  364. 
Lioht,  D.,  382— S.,  366. 
Lilly,  W.  H.,  400. 
Litt,  J.  G.,  461. 
Liening,  G.,  469. 
Lister,  J.  D.,  466. 
Lively,  I.,  435. 
Lindsey,  J.  W.,  400. 


65i  INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


DiSht,  A.,  366— D.  A.,  410— David, 
103. 

Luntner,  Christian,  242,  309— J.  J., 

402— H.,  418. 
Linder,  L.  H.,  328. 
Linge,  C,  372. 
Lrihs,  G.,  358. 

Linse,  H.  E.,  329;  P.  E..  462. 
Liesser,  Abraham,  218. 
Libke,  H.,  323. 

Liagelbach,  W.,  365— J.,  367,  389. 
Liohtenwalner,  R.  M.,  335. 
Litzenberger,  R.,  322 
LindermaH,  Chas.,  277;  P.  E.,  306. 
Dink,  Conrad,  2V2,  295— A.  L.,  371. 
Loehner,  Abraham,  146,  255. 
Long,  Joseph,  biog.,  533 — Daniel, 

246;  P.  E.,  382— Abraham,  304 
— Obed.,  368— F.,  375. 
Longbrake,     Henry,     255,  321— 

Henry,  Jr.,  323. 
Longsdorf,  Alex.,  biog.,  388— J.  M., 

380. 

L<oos,  Oh..279— W.,  351— J.  W.,  375 

— E.,  401. 
Locke,  F.  S.,  442. 
Lowe,  J.  S..  410— R.,  431. 
LowmaB,  J.,  406. 
Loy,  J.  U.,  374. 
Loop,  J.  N.,  386. 
Loney,  H.  H.,  412. 
Lohr,  C.  324— J.  J.,  400, 
Longer,  J.  E.,  295. 
Loewen,  H.,  443. 
Loehle.  F.,  383. 
Lohmeyer,  F.,  328. 
Luttman,  W..  375— F.  B.,  366. 
Lusler,  J.,  370. 
Lueder,  W.,  369. 
Luering,  L.,  409 — S.,  464. 
Luedlcke,  F.,  386. 
Lusher,  A.,  348. 

Lutz.  John,  244— J.  K.,  366— A.,  457 

H.,  457. 
Luttenberger,  J.,  854. 
Lyons,  H.  B.,  396— T.  C,  450. 


IVIACE,  G.  L.,  465. 

'      Manthel,  J.,  372. 

Manning.  D.  S.,  453. 

Mankamire,  C,  411. 

Manbeck,  J.,  344,  384. 

Manweiler,  Daniel,  231,  241. 

Manwell,  C.  391. 

Mattinger,  Geo.,  334,  386. 

Matin,  H.,  3.58;  P.  E.,  395— A..  453. 

Matzolf.  J.,  357,  367. 

Matheis,  C.  F.,  366. 

Matthias,  L.,  380. 

Maize  fam.,  the,  6^— Michael.  Sr., 

262— Michael,  Jr.,    244— M.  T.. 

575. 


Miesse,  Daniel,  244 — Henry,  252— 
S.  K.,  323,  442— J.,  370— S.,  448. 

Matter,  T.  R.,  387. 

Marlin,  J.  TV.,  297. 

Marquard,  John  Geo.,  271— G.  A., 
574. 

Marshall,  J.  J.,  453. 

Marks,  E.,  469. 

Martin,  E.  C,  393. 

Mayer,  John,    260— Fied.,  265— J., 

355— J.  A.,  359. 
Markley,  A.,  373. 
Major,  H.  C,  303,  459— S.  N.,  365. 
Mason,  J.,  401. 
May,  Lewis,  295,  352. 
Massuger,  P.,  319;  P.  E.,  376. 
Maurer,  M.,  354— J.,  369. 
Malseed,  J.  D.,  465. 
Maxwell,  A.  W.,  384. 
Manshard,  M.,  439. 
Meade,  A.  T..  384. 
Medler,  D.  A.,  3S0;  P.  E.,  b77— W. 

H.,  439. 

Mertz,  David,  255,  588— A.,  468— D., 
428. 

Mauger.  E.  B,  448. 
Mentz,  Wim.,  384. 
Merle,  H.,  456— W.,  4.56^.,  462. 
Meckel,  T.  C,  455. 
Mercer,  J.  S.,  400. 
Messenger,  J.  W.,  415. 
Messersmith,  W.,  429. 
Metzger,  J.  N.,  348— Prof.  D.  M., 
466. 

Metzler,  M.  S.,  468. 
Mell,  E.,  35S;   P.  E.,  40S— A.  M., 
576. 

Meek,  John.  328;  P.  E.,  372. 
Messner,  Geo.,  281— Henry,  328;  P. 

E.  ,  427. 
Merk,  Geo.,  :591. 

Meier,  H.,  357— ^^^  E.,  374.  406— W., 

383— J.  E.,  417— E..  456. 
Meyer,  Henry,  129^ohn,  150— B. 

F.  .  452— Melchoir,  310— A.  J., 
367— F.  F.,  367— H.  E.,  461— 
Christian,  3SS— J.,  411 

Methfessel.  P.,  336. 
Middlekauff  fam.,  121— Daniel,  121, 
228 

Michael,  A.,  256— J.  W.,  468. 
Milliron,  S.,  373— S.  A.,  389— fam., 
126. 

Minsker,  W.,  373— H..  574. 

Mlntz,  William,  241;P.  E.,  267,384. 

Miller,  fam.,  hist.,  32— George, 
biog.,  522— Solomon.  33— Solo- 
mon G..  33^ohn  W..  230,  245 
— George  "the  printer,"  209 — 
M'ich.,  242— Fred.,  246-^ohn 
R.,  250— Jacob,  252— Robert, 253. 
—Jacob,  260— P.  H..  276— John 
Geo.,  268— Ch.,  277— Isiah,  281— 
Philip.    291— David   W.,  308— 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


665 


John,  304— Elias  305— B.  L.,  306— 
C,  341— <P..  355— J.,  355— L.,  335 
— B.  H.,  366— E.  J.,  373— W., 
384— J.,  387— E.,  391— W.  W., 
332— S.  A.,  402— J.  D.,  406— D., 
426— C.  H.,  430— A.  C,  435— R. 
H.,  443— J.  P.,  448-J.  L,.,  453— 
M,.  455— B.,  4o6— S.,  464. 

Mueller,  L.  358— F.,  443— R.,  462— 
C.  A.,  402— C,  432— A.  H.  577. 

Mohn,  M.,  394. 

Mohr,  J.,  393— G.  W,,  405— C.  D., 
460. 

Moyer,  J.,  384— I.,  4i        .  H.,  4r.6— 

J.  W.,  314. 
Moving,  E.  F.,  402. 
Mowitz,  C,  380. 
Morelock,  J.  C,  411. 
Morgenthaler,  J.  C,  440,  577. 
Morris,  T.  M.,  339— W.  W.,  574. 
Mohny,  A.  A.,  578. 
Monismith,  T.,  336,  437. 
Moser,  F.,  356— H.,  457. 
Moede.  J.,  382,  467. 
Moody,  W.,  367. 
Mosher,  A.  E.,  438. 
Mounts,  S.  M.,  440. 
Morrison,  D.,  389. 
Mott,  Robert,  331. 
Morse,  L.  C,  328. 
Moose,  D.,  336. 
Mosser,  Sebastian,  246. 
Merely,  S.,  314. 
Mull,  J.  L.,  454. 
Mullen,  G.  W.,  442. 
MundQrf,  J.,  450. 
Mummey,  S.  S.,  574. 
Murry,  R.,  357— Thomas,  416,  441. 
Mundt,  F.  A.,  457. 
Munk,  W.  H.,  454— C.  A.,  275. 
Mumm,  P.,  443. 

Muck  fam.,  hist.,  61— Samuel,  226. 
Musselman,  Elias,  307;  P.  E.,  345. 

Mygrant,  M.  H.,  436. 

McCamey,  J-,  406. 

McCauley,  J.,  374— A.  N.,  4S5— C. 

F.,  454. 
McCachron,  J.  F.,  400. 
McAllister,  J.,  460. 
McBride,  Henry,  245— S.  A.,  425. 
McCray,  Robert,  221. 
McCracken,  G.  W.,  463. 
McCartney,  R.,  250. 
McCurdy.  S.  O.,  430. 
McCloud,  J.  W.,  468. 
McElroy,  G.,  579. 
McLehn,   Simon,  267— Noah,  28-'^, 

371. 

McKesson,  J.,  289,  304. 
McNealy,  G.,  442. 
McNutt,  J.  S.,  415. 
MdMlller,  W.  F.,  407. 
Mclntyre,  J.  M.,  327. 


McGaw.  J.  M.,  327 
McQuilling-,  J.,  268— J.,  387,  465. 

NAILOR,  GEO.,  120,  308. 

Nauman,  L.,  307,  314,  339— C, 
416. 

Naninga,  J.,  443. 

Negly,  C,  355;  P.  E.,  425— A.,  402 

Neufer,  J.,  464. 

Neff,  H.,  461. 

Neuendorf,  C.  W.,  441. 

Nehs,  F.,  394. 

Newinger,  H.,  389. 

Newhart,  fS.,  380. 

Nelman,  W.,  372. 

Neitz,  Solomon,  biog.,  548— H.  A., 
356— William,  368— F.,  468. 

Ney,  J.  W.,  455. 

Neitzel,  L.,  436. 

Nitsche,  E.,  431. 

Nderends,  A.,  324;  killed,  338. 

Nickle,  F.,  375,  383->r.,  433. 

Nicholas,  G.,  364— W.  M.,  380. 

Nicolai,  John,  263— A.,  268;  P.  E., 
347— G.  W.,  462. 

Niebel,  Henry,  biog.,  549 — Abra- 
ham, biog.,  549— B.  H.,  431;  P. 
E.,  578— N.  B.,  456. 

Norman,  F.  S.,  460. 

Nott,  Geo.,  314^Norton  A.,  455. 

Noecker,  John,  245. 

Nuss,  M.,  407. 

Nussbueckel,  F.,  406. 

NuhH,  J.,  350. 

Nunamaker,  J.,  407. 

Numson,  William,  105. 

QAKS,  D.  S.,  337;  P.  E.,  450. 
^   Obergfeld,  M.,  402. 
Oertle,  C,  386;  P.  E.,  469— A.,  452. 
Oehrle,  H.,  352. 

Oberholtzer,  I.,  313,  392—1.,  319— 

J.  R.,  430. 
Oetzel,  Wm.,  302,  314. 
Ohs,  H.,  402. 
Osteroth,  A.,  467. 

Orth,  J.,  354— iW.  D.,  373— P.  A., 
442. 

Ortwein,  J.,  449. 

Opplinger,  J.  M.,  380,  439. 

Oswald,  C.  L.,  574. 

Over,  E.  L.,  394,  459. 

Overholt,  A.  H.,  344,  453. 

Overmeyer,  H.,  371. 

Orwig  fam.,  hist.,  34,  81— William 

W.,  biog.,  535— Aaron  W.,  374 

— S.  P.,  367,  580. 

DARKS,  L.,  412. 

'    Parker,  A.,  347— F.  W.,  576. 

Paeth,  C.  A.,  416. 

Palmer,  C.  M.,  437. 

Painter,  J.,  373— J.  L,.,  579. 

Panton,  A.,  466. 


656 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


Pandel,  F.  C,  335,  380. 
Passmore,  Fred.,  400. 
Paul,  Jac,  129— Henry,  275— D.  J., 
Jaul,  Jac,  129— Henry,  275— D.  J., 
306. 

Paulin,  Joshua,  318. 

Patterson,  R.  M.  581— S.  W.,  581. 

Peters,  John,  226— Jacob,  227,  231— 

D.  a,  389— J.  H.,  393. 
Pershing,  C,  402. 
Pettit,  S.  A.,  374. 
Peluege,  R.,  468. 
Peipenburg,  A.,  369,  438. 
Peer,  E.,  306— R.  B.,  467. 
Pefferkorn,  W.,  346. 
Peek,  F.  M.,  464. 
Pfeifle,  C,  380. 
Pfeffer,  C,  365. 

Pfeifer,  J.  G.,  297;  P.  E.,  365,  575— 
L,.,  425. 

Pfitzlnger,  M.,  317— P.  E.,  365. 
Pfeil,  Conrad,  304. 
Pflaum,  J.,  383. 
Pfund,  C.  C,  368. 
Piper,  L.,  403— W.,  451— H.,  468. 
Plppert,  J.  H.,  372. 
Pinkerton,  W..  414. 
Pines,  Isaiah  M.,  335;  P.  E.,  466. 
Pickford,  Chas.,  575. 
Pierce,  J.  L.,  443— C.  M.,  467. 
Phillpbar,  C,  417. 
Phillips  fam.,  the,  74.  108— G.  W., 
357. 

Plocher,  A.,  382. 
Plantikow,  F.  R.,  414. 
Plattenberger,  T.,  305,  450. 
Piatt,  R.  v.,  303— A.,  370. 
Platz,  Geo.,  272.  359— .M.  C,  457— 
J.,  357— Noah,  392,  D.  F.,  425— 
P.  W.,  357. 

Plannett,  "William.  275. 
Porch.  Jos.  385. 
Pope,  H.,  454. 
Port,  P.,  358. 

Pontius  fam..  the,  149— Peter,  149, 
287,  304— Joseph  K.,  149— D.  J.. 
359. 

Poorman,  David,  244 — John,  246. 
Poling,  W.  B.,  297— Daniel,  314;  P. 

E.  ,  425— C.  C,  425;  P.  E.,  576— 
D.  v..  581. 

Powell,  S.,  413. 
Pratt,  H.,  464. 
Provost,  G.,  395. 

Price,  H.  R.,  301— J.  M.,  356— C, 

393— H.,  424— J.,  457. 
Priebe,  C.  402. 
Punzel,  C  457. 
Prichard,  J.,  468. 


DABUS,  J.,  366,  369. 

Rank  fam.,  hist..  Jacob,  252; 
P.  E.,  304— J.  A.,  391. 
Rankle,  R..  366. 


Raidabaugh  fam.,  hist.,  53— Peter 

W.,  367;  P.  E.,  440;  Ed.  Eng. 

S.  S.  lit.,  447. 
Rash,  A.,  358. 
Rail,  Otto.  372. 
Ramage  George,  255 — N.  463. 
Raus,  J.,  266. 
Raney,  R.,  436. 
Raeker,  H.,  426. 
Radensky,  O.,  413. 
Ray,  William,  237-^.  A.,  576. 
Rassweiler,  Prof.  H.  H.,  402,  198. 
Ragatz,  H.,  287— Oswald,  304. 
Raudenbush,  Benj.,  296,  297. 
Raskopf,  C,  324. 
Reitmeyer,  W.  F.,  384. 
Reeser,    William.    272— Adam  L. 

308;  P.  E..  381— J.  C,  406— J., 

443. 

Rea,  H.  K.,  339. 
Rex,  A.,  339. 
Reen,  C.  C,  393. 
Reep,  S.,  355. 

Reichard,  J.  W.,  357—1.  N..  364— 
L.  S.,  574— C,  402— G.,  427. 

Reib,  L.,  383.— 

Reitz.  I.  J.,  388. 

Reed,  I.  T..  336— R..  400. 

Reber,  W.  L.,  266,  338,429— A.  O., 
414— Reuben  J.,  371. 

Remer  S.  P.,  364-^..  392. 

Reimke,  W.,  375. 

Reinders,  P..  402. 

Renninger,  W.  A.,  389. 

Redman,  G.,  461. 

Rearick,  Adam,  327.  574— W.,  239. 
Reinoehl,  S.  P..  303,  415. 
Relsner,  J.  Conrad,  230.  410. 
Relnhold.  C.  M..  304;  P.  E.,  346— 

G.  ,  430. 

Reigel.  Jacob.  109,  245,  303— Jchn, 
140,  245— Reuben,  281— C,  390— 
P.,  395. 

Ream,  Mich.,  85 — Abraham,  141— 

H.  ,  364— J.,  328. 
Reisinger,  G.  W..  306.  575. 
Ressler,  Jacob,  142,  309. 
Reineck.  Wm.,  350— W.  H.,  416. 
Reisland,  H.,  338. 

Relf,  S.,  355— J.,  368— D.  F.,  406— 

M.  E.,  450. 
Reich,  Geo.,  231,  393. 
Relchman,  L.  W.,  302. 
Reynolds,  I.,  415. 
Redman.  G..  441. 
Relnbart.  J.  S..  427. 
Rickert.  S.,  581. 
Richards,  J.,  439. 
Rlckenbroat,  E.,  454. 
Rlemensnyder,  A.,  390. 
Ringer,  G.  W.,  680. 
Rleder,  D.,  408. 
Rlnker.  J.  M.,  384. 
Rlsius.  J..  393. 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


657 


Rishel.  David,  265,  288— G.,  317— P. 

H.,  339— fam.  hist,  86. 
Rickel.  John,  128. 
Rlssman,  Jos.,  255,  365. 
Blohardson,  J.  J., 
Rhorback,  Adam,  318,  581. 
Rhoads,  S.  G.,  biog.,  550— W.  W. 

347— H.,  353— R.,  366— J.,  439. 
Rhode,  E.,  386. 

Ross,    J.    N..  410— Daniel,  459— 

Chas.,  451. 
Roessel,  C.  430. 
Rose,  D.  W.,  578. 
Row,  W.,  367. 
Rough  fam.,  the,  65. 
Roedge,  C,  391— Robb,  H.,  577. 
Roederer,  G.,  392. 
Robinson,  J.,  375,  434  . 
Roth.  P.,  324— E.,  467. 
Roloff,  C,  413. 
Rosenberg,  J.  H.,  442. 
Rothermel,  C,  448— L.,  345. 
Rosenberger,  John,  254,  306— D.  H., 

370. 

Rogers,  B.  F.,  455— W.,  580. 
Rousch,  F.,  450. 
Rothert,  F.,  455. 

Rohland,  Henry,  biog.,  549 — 
David,  317— L.  P.,  355—1.  A., 
370;  P.  E.,  452— A.  W.,  441. 

Rothermund,  John,  309. 

Roesch,  J.  A.,  461. 

Rossner,  John,  242.  — 

Roeher,  C,  381. 

Root,  F.  S.,  401. 

Ruble,  A..  370. 

Russ,  Mich.,  371. 

Rumberger,  D.  P..  393— H.,  415. 

Ruhl,  L.,  356. 

Ruhl,  B.,  302. 

Ruckstuhl,  J.,  305. 

Rucker,  A.  L.,  575. 

Ruple,  A.,  370. 

Runyan,  Robt.  W.,  380. 

Ruppert,  J.  A..  305. 


QAYLOR  FAM.,  94  —  Joseph, 
^  biog.  of,  550,  see  150— Jacob,246 
O.  L.,  347— F.  P.,  385,  460— D., 
393— A.  J.,  435— A.  B.,  439. 

Sauer,  H.,  264. 

'Savitz,  J.,  369. 

Sampsel,  A.  M.,  405. 

Sahr,  A.,  462. 

Sands,  J.  G.,  364. 

Sassman,  S.,  452. 

ScOiarf,  Fred.,  266. 

Schand,  J.,  390. 

ScTinerr,  Jacob,  biog.,  552. 

Schlosser,  Noah,  272. 

Sohell,  John,  285. 

Schleuter,  C.  W..  436. 

Schnee,  J.  F.,  307,  575. 


Schnatz,  J.  P.,  309. 

Scharf,  A.,  335. 

Schaff,  John,  296,  374. 

Schreiber,  J.  Fred.,  309;  P.  E.,  350. 

Schroeder,  F.  F.,  324. 

Schneck,  N.,  329. 

Schuerman,  L.,  290,  382— W.,  464— 

H.  M.,  438. 
Schwand,  W.,  345. 
Schmucker,  E.,  365— G.  C,  464. 
Schmall,  G.,  355. 

Schott,  Geo.,  290— W.  P.,  441. 
Scheitler,  C,  366. 
Schwartz,  F.,  381. 
Schnake,  C.  A.,  biog.,  388— L.  C, 
418. 

Schreiber,  H.,  367. 
Schneller,  J.,  371. 
Schlenk,  A.,  371. 

Schneider,  S.,  372— Geo.,  231— Wil. 
liam  F.,  biog.,  551— Theobald, 
266;  P.  E.,  401— John,  307;  P, 
E., 354— Jacob,  322.  430— W.,  364 
— C,  383— Henry,  407— J.,  413— 

D.  ,  414— H.  W.,  416  G.,  416— C., 
463. 

Schmaus,  J.,  370. 

Schnellbacher,  J.,  596. 

Schuknec'ht,  H.,  407. 

Schenk,  J.,  431. 

Schwalm,  J.,  449. 

Schittler,  M.  L.,  467. 

iSchlittler,  J.,  365. 

Schleh,  G.  H.,  393. 

Scbnitz,  J.  H.,  450. 

Schelp,  Henry.,  P.  E.,  396. 

Schweiker,  Wm.,  402. 

Schoerin,  W.,  402. 

SchmoUe,  W.  J.,  442— A.,  452. 

Schlorb,  G.,  449. 

Schweisberger,  J.,  580. 

Schlegel,  H.  F.,  579. 

Schwab,  J.  G.,  469. 

Scheuer,  A.,  418— P.,  451— L.,  365— 

J.  W.,  413— L.,  427— J.  M.,  451. 
■Schafele,    Jacob,    biog.,  552 — 396, 

345,  577. 
Schnebly  fam.,  the,  126. 
Schnebel,  D.,  384. 
Schlagenhauf,  J.,  438. 
Schmus,  W.,  382. 

Schmidt,  Wm.,  264— Geo.  C,  266. 
297— L.,  327— A.,  372— G.  H.,  385 
—J.  A.,  384— R.,  395— F.,  402— 
C,  402— R.,  412— G.  J.,  439,  462. 

Schweitzer,  F.,  P.  E.,  450— J.  S., 
468— John,  309— A.,  452— F.,  375. 

Smith,  Philip,  61— Pres  A.  Smith, 
196— Ch.,  281— ^Samuel,  317;  P. 

E.  ,  373— Philip,  348— J.  P.,  356— 
J.  R.,  389— R.,  390— E.  W.,  393— 

I.  A.,  393— J.,  400— J.  W.,  401— 

F.  ,  405— J.  E.,  428-nL.  H.,  432— 
J..  437— G.  S..  440-tH.  A..  448-- 


668  INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


J.,  454— S.,  45fr— A.  L.,  462— J, 

W.,  574— G.  S.,  576— J.  H.,  577— 

H.  H.,  57^E.  W.,  580. 
Serf,  T.  W.,  433. 
Segrer,   Shem,    317— Geo.,  446—1., 

364. 

Sensel,  John,  244,  303. 
Seitz,  John,  112. 
Sexton,  H.  M.,  412. 
Seebold,  T.,  308. 

Seip,  J.  S.,  367— E.  R.,  453— W.  A., 
407. 

Se<yhrist,  J.,  336— F.,  356-^.  G.,  367 

—J.  R.,  424. 
Seifffried,  J.  R.,  35:— C.  W.,  580. 
Seither,  L.,  332. 

Seder,  L,.,  killed,  341— H.,  452— D., 
452. 

Seybert,  John,  hiog.,  529 — James 
L.  W.,  275;  P.  E.,  328— Samuel 
W.,  277;  P.  E.,  331. 

Seebolt,  G.,  402. 

Searle,  H.  T.,  424. 

Sheary,  S.  F.,  406. 

Shank,  W.  M.,  581. 

Shoepfleln,  C,  336;  P.  E..  456— W., 
456. 

Shuh,  S.,  350. 
Shuman,  P.,  412. 

Shoemaker,  H.,  329— W.  A.,  366— 

W.  E.,  389— E..  416. 
iShuttler,  A.  J.,  461. 
Shambacher,  J.,  392. 
Shambach,  J.,  393. 
Shenberger,  A.  W.,  370;  P.  E.,  526. 
Shissler,  W.,  381. 
Shalble,  T.,  427. 
Shirk,  M.  D.,  384. 
Shoop,  S..  386.  368— N.,  357— J.  M., 

410— M.  F.,  426. 
Shuster,  C,  386— W.,  394. 
Sherrick.  W.  W.,  413— D.,  346. 
Shuler,  W.,  439. 

Shultz,  Abr.,  271— E.,  329— E.,  363— 
S.,  350— J.  K..  403— O.,  456— H.. 
388,  459— J.,  393— C.,  413— J..  432 
 ^  435_ 

Sholty,  'Wm'.,  230— H.  L.,  321. 

Shower,  Fred.,  221,  236— Theo  ,  442. 

Shaffer,  Absalom,  148,  152— Geo., 
252— John,  261,  266— Jacob,  296 
—Geo.,  315,  349— C.  375— F.,  412 
— W.  B.,  436— H.,  43S— J.  A.,  460 
—J.,  363— W.  D.,  382. 

Shuler,  Jac,  356— W.  W.,  354.— 

Shannon,  M.  H.,  336— W.  F.,  425. 

Shlmer,  J.,  356.  352. 

Shomo,  C,  340. 

Shortess.  S.,  I.,  353— T.  A.,  4«6— J., 

D.,  430. 
Shelp.  Henry,  304;  P.  E. 
Shilling.  John.  140.  223. 
Shreffler,  John,  245. 
Shaver,  M.  R.,  576. 


Shesser,  J.,  375. 
Shatz,  Phil.,  304. 
Shiry,  J.,  399— S.  S.,  435. 
Sheldon,  C.  E.,  464— M.  A.,  578,581. 
Shiermeyer,  F.  J.,  417. 
Shimp,  J.  H.,  454. 
Shubert,  L.,  249— F.,  401. 
Sill,  Daniel,  265— Wm.  a09— J.  C, 
429. 

Siberling,  C,  358. 

Siewert,  L.  M.,  438. 

Sickle,  G.  A.,  357. 

Sindlinger   fam.,   the,  106 — John, 

245,  255,  444— iMich.,  106,  260. 
Sichley,  Elias,  244,  390— H.,  336. 
Simmons,  W.,  394. 
Simpson,  W.,  477. 
Simon,  G.,  365— B.,  391- 
Skogsberg,  S.,  437. 
Sloat,  Mich.,  327,  453. 
Slagel,  C.  D.,  454. 
Smoyer,  B.  J.,  351;  P.  E.,  448. 
Snyder,  M.  J.,  430— L.,  434— F.  L., 

467—  E.,  351— C.  N.,  410— A.  H., 
448— L,.,  297— B.  F.,  463— W.,455. 

Sneadon,  R.,3S0. 

Sommerville,  Albert,  320. 

Sorber,  W.,  578. 

Sohl,  H.,  426. 

Soliday,  J.  M.,  369,  588. 

Soldane,  L.,  443. 

Sones,  C.  L.,  453. 

Sorg,  G.,  463. 

Southland,  J.,  413. 

Spies.  C.  A.,  317,  426— S.  F.,  432. 

Spelcher,  D.  D.,  456— C.  C,  448. 

Speck,  M.,  329. 

Spate,  P.,  407— Geo.,  413. 

Spittler,  H.,  381. 

Spreng,  Geo.  F.,  268,  339— Samuel 
P..  401;  P.  E.,  450;  Ed  Ev. 
Mess.,  471— E.,  450— Otto,  413. 

Spring,  Jacob,  317. 

Spohn,  J.,  271. 

Spangler,  Christopher,  87,  308— D. 

D.,  467— Ira  E.,  574. 
Splelman,  Conrad,  307. 
Spotts,  J.  H.,  680. 
Springer.  J.,  408. 
Speich,  P.,  337. 
Speeht,  Joseph,  319. 
Spotts.  J..  348— J.  H.,  580— R.,  320. 
Stamm.  Martin,  332;  P.  E.,  413— 

G.,  443. 
Stanford,  Wesley  M.,  373. 
Stayman.  S.,  367. 

Stahley,  A.,  295;  P.  E.,  320— R..  403. 
SUebler,  J.  G..  302,  389— S.,  442— J., 

468—  D.  S.,  463— C,  407. 
Stattler,  J.,  308. 

StegTier,  Wm.,  314;  P.  E.,  358,  444 

J.  L.,  372— C.,  391— W.  C,  402. 
Steck.  T..  264. 
Stortz,  G.,  371. 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER.  659 


Steltzer,  S.,  327. 
Steel.  J.  E.,  579— Chas.,  283. 
Steelsmith,  P.  D.,  580. 
Staffleld,  C,  395; P.  E.,  461. 
Stapleton,  A.,  373. 
Stapf,  L..  452. 
Steltz,  A.  S.,  410. 
Stoltz,  J.,  394. 
Stellrecht,  H.,  383. 
Stadlander  "W.,  381. 
Stark,  A.,  461. 

Stambach,  John,  221,  237— Blias, 

272— W.  D.,  443. 
Stevens,  F.,  675. 
Stetter,  J.  G.,  336. 
Steffy,  M.  W.,  307;  P.  E.,  340— C. 

A..  431. 
Strauch,  H.,  309;  P.  E.,  406. 
Strayer.  D.,  320,  389. 
Stroup,  C,  373— A.,  369— J.,  400— C. 

S..  406. 
Stengel,  J.,  454. 
Stuebe,  K.  F.,  371— A.,  331. 
Stuckey,  C,  364. 
Stuckhow,  C,  374. 
Stecher,  F.,  390. 
Steckley,  M.,  373,  441. 
Stewart,  J.  E.,  390. 
Stermer,  J.,  439. 
Steuwlg,  C.  F.,  402— F.  E.,  365. 
Steuernagel,  C,  349. 
Stlrk,  Amos  M.,  blog.,  635. 
StrasSberger,  Wm.,  296— S.,  581. 
Strlckler,  S.,  305. 
Stroh  fam.,  52— .Adam,  266. 
Strelcher,  G.,  456. 
Stoetzel,  Henry,  252,  577. 
Strohman,  Daniel,  296;  P.  E. 
Strohmeyer,  A.,  314;  P.  E.,  391. 
Stroble,  L.,  337. 
Strine,  D.  M.,  406. 
Staufaoher,  J.  E.,  402— L.,  451. 
Stock,  L.,  417. 
Sturn,  H.,  461. 
Streyffeler,  S.  H.,  581. 
Stouffer,  H.  S.,  454— W.,  457— F.  G., 

424— W.  H..  424— H.,  147,  221— 

C,  345— D.  S.,  369— H.  S.,  370— 

J.,  449. 
Stedke,  J.  H. 
Steinbach,  J.  W.,  391. 
Steininger,  G.,  468. 
Stoefbel,  F.,  346. 
Stoke,  H.  A.,  348. 

Stover,  Elias,  biog.,  552— Fred., 
289,  295— J.,  359— W.  H.,  367— 
Joihn,  386— J.  D.,  393. 

Stone,  J.,  416. 

Strohm,  J.  G.,  297,  575. 

Stoops,  J.  E.,  442. 

Stall,  D.,  435. 

Strobe,  D.,  461. 

Stoll  fam.,  the,  125— John,  229— 
■wnilam,  234— John,  309;  P.  E., 


332— D.,  349— W.  H.,  357,  400— 
S.,  308— J.  O.,  401— A.,  381. 

Strickfaden,  A.,  386. 

Suhr,  Theo.,  385;  P.  E.,  453— Chas. 
425. 

Sutton,  D.  L.,  317,  364— Abr.,  384. 

Summers,  H.  B.,  345. 

Sutter,  J.,  392. 

Swlely,  Phil.,  320,  459. 

Sweetland,  L.,  416. 

Swengel,  J.  G.  M.,  340-U.  F.,  356; 

P.  E.,  424— Edwin,  370— A.  W., 

430. 

Swartz  fam.,  the,  144— Daniel,  275 
—Philip,  290—  Simon.  306— 
Andrew,  320— F.,  440— G.,  468— 
Geo.,  415— Geo.,  337— F.,  390— 
J.  393. 

Swiegert.  A.  M.,  577. 

Swender,  C.  M.,  437. 

Swenk,  J.  A..  451. 

Swan,  A.,  450. 

Swart,  D.,  452. 

Sukow,  W.,  443. 

Sydow,  J.  A.,  438— C.  W.,  376— C., 
391. 

TARNUTZEiR,  A.,  309;  P.  E.,  417. 

'    Taelerheit,  W.,  368. 

Taylor,  Jos.,  414. 

Teats,  A.  R.,  317— A.  W.,  353,  367. 

Teter,  R.,  430. 

Tesch.  W.,  457. 

Terwllliger,  A.  F.,  389. 

Tenny,  Peter,  332. 

Theide,  Jos.,  385. 

Theis,  F.,  428. 

Theilke,  J.,  433. 

Theuer,  Geo.,  302;  P.  E.,  425. 

Thomson,  J.  W.,  574. 

Thoren,  H.  H.,  454. 

Thornton  fam.,  65— P.,  337. 

Tlchnall,  M.,  411  . 

Tim,  J.,  372. 

Townsend,  L.  A.,  678. 

Torry,  S.,  413. 

Tothero,  F.  R.,  323,  459. 

Tostleben,  F.,  426. 

Toedeman,  H.,  387. 

Thomas  fam.,  hist.,  (Lancaster 
Co.),  49— (Mifflin  Co.),  58— 
David,  49,  222— Christian,  243— 
Henry.  246— C.  A.,  323,  422— C., 
323— Wesley  P.,  356— John  F., 
388— H.  A.,  401— H.  W.,  306— 
M.  iS.,  460. 
obias  fam.,  hist.,  27 — Samuel, 232, 
332,  429,  580— Daniel,  24&— F.  R., 
265— L.  B.,  340— J.,  374-J.  H.. 
453— David,  459. 

Trautman,  J.,  457. 

Trapp,  W.,  374. 

Transue,  J.  A.,  392. 

Traeger,  W.,  297.  ' 


680  INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


Troyer,  Jacob,  358— C,  386— J;.,366, 
368. 

Trayer,  T.,  354. 

Trimmer,  C,  358. 

Trapp,  E.,  366. 

Trlem,  C.  J.  W.,  581. 

Trezize,  J.,  406. 

Trumpfheller,  H.  H..  466. 

Trumbauer,  Jac,  304— M.,  369— H, 

M.,  432. 
Truby,  Joseph,  133,  262,  314. 
Trumater,  Jacob,  318. 
Turner,  E.  E.,  34fr— J.  M.,  467. 
Tylor,  J.,  449. 

[  IBER,  W.,  328. 

Ude,  C,  318. 
Utt.  E.  B.,  383;  P.  E.,  575. 
Umbreit,  T.,  350— H.,  369. 
Umbach,  Jos.  306;  P.  E.,  411— S. 

L.,  374;  P.  E.,  431. 
Unholtz,  A.,  354;  P.  E.,  431. 
Unangst,  W.  A.,  413— C.,  575. 
Uphouse,  B.,  287. 
Urbino,  Virgil,  437. 

V  ANDERS  ALL,  JOHN.  119,  229, 
'  234— Jacob,  119,  304— F..  336— A. 
368;  P.  E.,  450. 
Vallerchamp,  Azima,  280,  308. 
Van  Gundy,  Samuel,  246,  261. 
Vail,  J.  P.,  329— Hon.  C.  F.,  380. 
Vandyke,  J.,  389— E.  B.,  393. 
Vanderberg,  J.,  441. 
Vanson,  H.,  406. 
Vonedi,  I.,  393. 
Vauble,  C,  454. 
Vetter,  Geo.,  307— W.  J..  462. 
Vincent,  C,  451— T.  T.,  578. 
Vogle,  W.,  451. 
Voelker,  H.,  413. 

Voegelein,  F.  W.,  372;  P.  E.,  419; 

Miss,  to  Japan,  483— A.  J.,  412. 
Von,  Freeden  E.,  329. 
Vossler,  J.,  389. 
Von  Wald,  L.,  304;  P.  E.,  371. 
Von  Eschen,  Geo.,  319,  427-^.,  350. 
Vogelbach,  Jacob,  249. 
Vought,  J.,  364— F.  S.,  406— J.  H., 

425. 

U/ ALTER  FAM.,  hist, (Lebanon 
Co.),  46— (Snyder  Co.),  63— 
John,  blog.,  519— John,  Jr.,  221 
—Michael,  221,  317— Moses,  322, 
370— J.,  367— F.,  401— W.,  443— 
M.,  452— F.,  464. 

Walton,  S.  A..  456— M.,  367,  373. 

Wahl,  Fred.,  261. 

Wales,  G.  W.,  358,  371— G.,  366. 

Wade,  B.  F.,  372,  359. 

Walker,  Q.,  418— F..  308— W.  L., 
441. 

Waldhausen,  W.,  451. 
Walkey,  J.  W..  328;  P.  E.,  374. 


Ward.  J.  B..  454. 
Walch,  A.,  369. 

Wallace,  W.  N.,  370— E.  C,  463, 
575. 

Warfleld,  W.,  372— A.  W.,  384. 

Ware,  F.,  578. 

Waterman,  W.,  393. 

Waltz,  C,  413— John,  302,  422,  476— 
Prof.  W.  E.,  198.  439,  483. 

Wagoner,  Philip,  biog.,  553— Wil- 
liam, 242— Charles,  252— John, 
279— P.,  354— W.,  366— Alex.,  371 
— 393— G.  W..  405— J.,  415— 
W.  H.,  428— L.  H.,  438— H.,  443. 

Weber,  Joseph,  263— Solomon,  291 
— C,  467— W.  W.,  384. 

Weikel,  Jacob,  286,  429. 

Weand,  Henry,  129,  226— Daniel. 
271,  577— W.  K.,  353. 

Weaver,  A..  320— A.,  366— W.  W., 
373— S.,  395— J.,  393. 

Werner,  M.,  369— C,  365— J.,  SOS- 
Samuel,  313— H.,  331— J.  L.,  351. 

Weirich,  Geo..  265,  295,  554— H.  E., 
384— J.  F.,  365. 

Weigand.  H.,  441— C,  402;  P.  E., 
468— W.,  411. 

Weidle,  J.,  424— J.  A..  574. 

Weidner,  W.  H.,  348— J.  F.,  384. 

Weldy,  Henry,  281— J.  C,  392. 

Weller,  J.  Q.  A.,  336;  P.  E.,  411. 

Wellner,  J.,  374. 

Wessler,  W.,  310. 

Wehr,  A..  355. 

Weis,  W.  C.  430. 

Weisel,  H.,  331. 

Wengerd,  J.  P.,  354— L.,  383;  P.  E.. 

418— E..  385— J..  416. 
Wendt,  H.,  461. 
Welch,  J.  H.,  435. 
Wentz,  T.  L.,  434, 
Weihe,  F.,  302. 
Welshaar,  E..  456. 
Weisbrodt,  E.,  366. 
Weidemeyer,  P.  C,  400. 
Weldenhammer,  C.  Y.,  405. 
Weidenheft,  W.,  442. 
Welthaupt,  Fred.,  281. 
Welty,  P.  M..  323— M.  P..  437. 
Weiser,  H.,  314. 
Webb,  B.,  468. 
Westheffer,  Henry,  249. 
Welgman,  A.,  454. 
Wessling.  C,  310. 
White.  G.  W. 
Wheeler,  J.,  436.  373. 
Witt,  Samuel,  130,  226— C.  L.,  374; 

P.  E.,  450— S.  H.,  387. 
Wittenweiler.  M.,  137;  P.  E.,  394. 
Wittich,  L..  426. 
Wler,  E.,  357. 

Wlttington,  W..  3.^6;  P.  E.,  407. 
Wise,  John,  84— E.,  359;  P.  E..  39S 
— E..  332— C.  349— H.  J.,  454. 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


661 


Wilson.  Elijah.  280— E.  B..  301— 
G,.  407— C.  W.,  457— G.,  457— J., 
380— E.,  384. 

Williams,  L..  345— A.  E.,  453. 

Williamson,  A.,  460. 

Wlest,  Peter,  246— Samuel  L.,  366, 
422. 

Wlldermuth,  W.,  369. 

Wimmer,  B..  363. 

Wlssler,  Henry,  148,  231— H.,  432. 

Win^,  M.  L.,  426. 

Winkler,  P.,  354. 

Wilkinson,  L.  S.,  580. 

Wilkins,  A.  T.,  387. 

Wiegert,  F.,  443. 

Wilcox,  E.,  384. 

Winkelwisch,  G..  383,  442. 

Willihelm,  J.,  344. 

Wildfang,  L.,  323. 

Winter,  A.  C,  443— A.,  455,  467. 

Wiohman,  A.,  463. 

Wingert  fam.,  the,  121— H.,  405. 

Winegarden,  B.  P.,  353. 

Workman,  J.,  384. 

Woodmansee,  D.,  465. 

Waiter,  F.,  402. 

Woodhull,  J.,  367. 

Woodring,  P.,  321— J.  D.,  410. 

Woodside,  Thomas,  416,  575. 

Walpert,  J.  G.,  281,  476. 

Worman,  L.  M..  347. 

Womelsdorf,  J.,  460. 

Wolthauser,  C.  W.,  469. 

Wolfart,  J.  F.,  373. 

Wohlgemuth,  C,  438— C.  C,  450. 

Wohrley,  J.  W.,  399. 

Wolf  fam.,  the,  79— Christian,  79, 
245— Andrew,  223— >David,  227— 
Aaron,  265— iSimon,  277;  P.  E., 
344->Iohn  F.,  296— H.,  457— C, 
384— lE.,  577. 

Wonder  fam.,  the,  60 — Daniel,  467 
William,  323— D.  H.,332— Matt., 
349— J.,  364. 

Wonderlich,  M.  355— N.  428. 

Wright,  iS.,  406. 

Wurth,  J.,  368;  P.  E.,  387— E.,  371 
—J.,  413. 

VAMBBRT,    AARON,    148,  151. 
'  244— J.  H.,  161,  236. 
Taggy,  J.  H.,  391;  P.  E.,  438. 
Tauch,  M.,  354,  465. 
Zulauf,  Mich.,  286,  370. 


Yenny,  F.  C,  439. 

Yerlltz,  D.,  220. 

Yerger,  J.  F.,  344. 

Yearick,  S.,  344. 

Yeager,  G.  F.,  384— .W.  J.,  466. 

Yeagley,  D.  M.,  467. 

Yeakel,  C,  275— Jesse,  303,  33S;  P. 

E.  .  403— Reuten,  305;  Cor.  Sec. 
Miss.  Soc,  326;  Ed.  S.  S.  Lit., 
343;  Bishop,  378— D.,  348— And., 
352—1.  W.,  369— A.  L.,  410—1. 
C,  424— E.  K..  432. 

Yingst,  D.,  327— J.  A.,  403. 
Yohn,  G.,  372. 
Yockle,  A.,  369. 

Yost,  W.  W.,  303;  Cor.  Sec.  Miss.. 

Soc.,  343;  Pub.,  422— H.  R.,  380, 

577— W.  W.,  448. 
Yoder,  N.,  370,   441— W..  393— A., 

418. 

Youngblood,  J.,  365. 

Young,  «.,  245— iAl)r.,  277,  280— J. 

F.  W.,  295— Jeremiah,  297,  405 
—Jesse,  319— Geo.  W.  F.,  SOS- 
John, 364-^acob,  301;  Ed.  Eng. 
S.  S.  Lit.,  378— Jacob,  359— 
Reuben,  373— Noah,  373^8.  S., 
373— J.  K.,  457— J.  A.,  463— M. 
B.,  575. 

Yundt,  J.,  389,  449. 
Yudes,  W.,  469. 


VANDER,  W.  F.,  418. 

^  Zahn,  P.,  386. 

Zager,  F.,  368,  372. 

Zern,  J.,  319. 

Zehner,  Geo.  E.,  364. 

Zeigler,  J.  G.,  427. 

Zellhofer,  G.,  329,  459— G.  G..  395— 
J  M.,  402. 

Zeller,  F.,  320— D.,  358— T.  B.,  411 
— G.,  416. 

Zipperer,  J.,  462. 

Zickerick,  W.,  309. 

Zimmer,  G.,  340. 

Ziehm,  R.  W.,  416. 

Zirkle,  J.  M.,  302— E.  A.,  431. 

Zinger,  John  G.,  148,  biog.,  554. 

Zimmerman  fam.,  hist.,  31 — Leon- 
ard, 262— Jacob,  313,  368— F., 
337;  P.  E.,  442—1.,  356— J.,  372— 
H.,  394— P.,  462. 

Zoerb,  C,  462. 


General  Index  and  Ministerial  Register  of  tiie  United 
Evangelical  Cliiircli-1891-1900. 


ALBRIGHT  Collegiate  Inst.,  61» 
^  —College  grade,  621-631.  ( 
Allgemeine  Zeitung,  est.,  568. 

DIBLE  Conference,  the  first,  595. 

^  Board  of  Publication,  607,  625. 
Board  of  Missions,  607,  625. 
Bruder  Bund,  exposure  of,  576. 

PATECHISM,  German,  613— 
^  English,  624. 

Central  Pennsylvania  College,631. 
Charitable  Soc,  est.,  606.  613. 
Church  building.  596,  612. 
Church  Purchasing,  612. 
Church  Extension  Soc,  625. 
Course  of  Study,  624. 
Cleveland  Leader,  quoted,  582. 

nALLAS  College,  636. 

Deed,  new  form  of,  606. 
Discipline,  the  new,  605,  606,  607. 

PDUCATIONAL  AID  SOC.  580. 
Ecumenical  Council  of  Meth- 
odism, 603-623. 

Ettinger,  J.  M..  death  of,  612. 

Evangelical,  the,  est.,  567. 

Evangelische  Zeltechrift,  605. 

Evangelical  Association,  disrup- 
tion of,  557— Ecumenical  Coun. 
cil  difflcultiea,  569 — Japan  Mis- 
slon,560 — Trial  of  H.  B.  Hartz- 
ler,  563— Ruling  of  Bishop 
Dubs,  563— l»rotest  of  the  Mi- 
nority, 565 — Arbitration  pro- 
posed, 590,  612 — Litigation  in- 
stituted, 581,  592,  596,  600.  613— 
Gen.  Conf.,  call  for,  584. 

CRATERNAL  DELEGATES, 
*    604,  623. 

Foreign  Mission,  605,  637. 

UEIL,  W.  F.,  pamphlet  of,  579. 
' '  Hymn  Book,  606,  615  618. 


I/EYSTONE  LEAGUE,  the,  686, 
624,  627. 

Krecker,  Mrs.  Elizabeth,  work  of 
629. 

I  AY  CONVENTIONS,  586. 

Lay  Representatives,  603. 
Literary  Institutions,  631. 
Living  Epistle,  noted,  572. 

MISSIONARY  SOC,  the,  627— iW. 

M.  S.,  629. 
Missionary  Tidings,  the,  630. 
Mohn,  J.  G.,  missionary  Treas., 

628. 

IVBW  YORK  INDEPENDENT. 

quoted,  571,  591. 
North  Western  Conf.  Formed,624, 

637. 

PLATTE  RIVETR  CONF.  EX- 
'    CINDED,  569. 
Settlement  effected.  617. 

RESTRICTIVE  RULES,  adopt- 
ed,  606. 

"Regular"   Evangelical  Asaocia- 
tion,  593-595. 

CMOYER,  B.  J.,  resigns,  612. 
^  Statistics.  640. 
Supreme  Court,  decisions  of,  693. 
599,  600,  613. 

JHOREN,  Pr«s.  H.  H.,  «38. 


I  INITED  EVANGELICAL 
^  CHURCH,  organized,  600,  606; 

Historical     Article    on,  606; 

Polity  of,  606;  Bounds  of,  608, 

615.  624,  637. 

U/ESTBRN  UNION  COLLEGE, 
est..  638. 


662 


INDEX  -^ND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER  663 


i  AFFROTH,  CARL.  620. 
"  Aroh,  C.  H.,  592. 
Artman.  D.  B.,  588. 
Arnold.  W.  1...  612. 
Andrews,  Robert,  610. 
AlSbach.  W.,  613. 
Afflebach,  A.  J.,  611. 

DAILET  W.  E.,  593. 

"  Baine,  D..  614. 
Bair,  H.  H..  622. 
Bear,  I.  N..  583. 
Barlett.  S.  H.,  617--T.  J.,  620. 
Bach,  Theo.,  P.  E.,  589. 
Ballentlne.  W.  J.,  P.  E.,  615. 
Bamford,  J.,  598. 
Barnhart,  G.,  614. 
Beebe,  J.  L.,  621. 
Beller,  C.  F.,  617. 
Berkey,  A.  F.,  593. 
Belzer,  F.,  P.  E..  611. 
Berkey,  Daniel.  620. 
Bender.  H.,  583— J.  C,  617. 
Bissel,  J.  "W.,  594. 
Biggrs,  J.  O.,  593. 
Bllem,  C.  616. 
Borrows,  J.  J.,  583. 
Bowman,  Prof..  C.  A.,  598,  631— Dr. 

J.  C,  622. 
Boyer,  A.  G.,  613. 
Borger,  M.  E.,  597. 
Boozer,  Leon.  617. 
Brown,  W.  H.,  588— G.  W.,  P.  E., 
589. 

Brownmiller,  A.  W..  582. 
Brooker,  E.  W.,  611. 
Busse,  F.,  P.  E.,  614. 
Bull.  J.  A,  593. 
Busenberg.  T.  C.  599. 
Buzzard,  J.,  611— Joseph,  617. 
Burson,  G.  L.,  619. 
Byers,  D.  B.,  619,  634. 

C  ARMAKTY.   VINTON,  620-^. 
^    J..  P.  E.,  620. 
Carothers  M.  J.,  619,  633. 
Caton,  W.,  P.  E.,  589-^ol.  J.,  609. 
Christ,  W.  J..  614. 
Chamberlain,  A.  W.,  596. 
Chubb,  S.  H.,  588— S.  S.,  P.  E.,  588 

— E.,  631. 
Clark,  U.  S.,  583— J.  R.,  597. 
Cline,  J.  W.,  583. 
Cox,  W.  B.,  588. 
Crouch,  M.  T..  583. 
Crow,  C.  T.,  615. 
Grosser,  Ralph,  617. 
Crawford,  O.  P.,  639. 
Crumbling,  E.,  P.  E.,  620. 
Curry,  J.  Q.  A.,  P.  E.,  620. 
Currin,  E.,  583. 

HAT,  J.  H..  611. 

^  Dayton,  I.  E.,  596. 


Danzer,  F.  G.,  613. 

DeWall,  J.  J.,  620. 

Devol,  F.,  594. 

De  Groot,  C.  W.,  589,  609. 

Dech,  H.  A.  613— W.  J..  616. 

Dillow,  S.  B.,  P.  E.,  590. 

Dissinger.  S.,  610. 

Dice,  L.  M.,  614— W.  J.,  619. 

Doebler,  Noah,  622. 

Dosch.  G.  H.,  588. 

Dorner.  J.  "W.,  P.  E.,  589. 

Duibs,  R.,  Bishop,  586— C.  N.,  Ed. 

Ev.    Zeitschrift,     625;  Supt. 

China  Miss.,  637— N.  J.,  610. 
Dunn,  E.  B.,  596. 
Duffy,  A.,  593. 

CBERT.  "W.  J.,  616. 

Eby,  W.  J.,  619. 
Edleman,  W.  J..  588. 
Einsel,  Lewis.  596. 
Ellis.  P.  L.,  639. 
Ender,  J.  H.,  588. 
Ehrhart,  J.  B.,  596. 
Ettinger,  J.  M.,  612,  540. 
Eller,  J..  597— Emanuel.  614. 
Erisman,  A.  L.,  616. 
Esley,  Asbury,  614. 
Evans,  A.,  P.  E.,  590. 

CARNSWORTH,  E.  D.,  594. 

Ferch,  Aaron,  620. 
Ferner,  J.  H.,  583. 
Feitt,  B.  F.,  P.  E.,  697. 
Fresch,  J.,  617. 
Fisher,  B.,  598— F.  E.,  619. 
Findley,  W..  597. 
Foss,  J.  H..  596. 
Fosnacht,  H..  592. 
Focht,  G.,  589. 
Fry,  I.,  588— C.  F.,  639. 
Fox,  J.  B..  639. 
Fouke,  W.  H..  P.  E.,  614. 
Fulcomer,  B.,  593— W.  N.,  610. 
FHiessele,  E.  F.,  611. 

riARDNER,  J.  L.,  588. 
^  Garrett,  W.,  592. 
Gamber,  J.  H.,  589. 
Gampe,  R.,  598. 
Garr,  Jerome,  619. 
Gill,  W.  R.,  597. 
Gramley,  A.  D.,  610. 
Gross,  G.  W..  P.  E.,  588. 
Graham,  J.  P.,  617. 
Gruber.  J.,  613. 
Gottschalk.  D.  H..  619. 
Guinter,  C.  W..  617. 

UASSBNPFLUG,  GEO.,  616.  542. 
'  *  Harper,  J.  S.,  616. 
Hartman,  B.,  603. 
Harris,  J.  A.,  62«. 
Hass,  S.  G.,  616. 


661 


lADEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


Hawk,  N.  S.,  596. 

Hamilton,  W.,  612. 

Hartzler,  J.,  P.  E.,  588— H.  B.,  Ed. 

Ev.,  613. 
Harlacher,  Jos.,  596,  542. 
Haefele,  A.,  P.  E.,  597. 
Haman,  C.  S.,  Bishop,  546. 
Hamon,  J.  M.,  621. 
Hartenstein,  E.  H.,  596,  622. 
Ha'hn,  P.,  614— Eli,  616. 
Hagner,  A.  E.,  610— H.  B.,  619. 
Haehlen,  Jacob,  611. 
Heiney,  G.  W.,  593. 
Herrick,  Geo.,  613. 
Hettrick,  F.  E.,  588. 
Heilman,  A.  S.,  589. 
Heller,  J.,  588. 
Hensel,  H.  A.,  615. 
Heindel,  J.  E.,  588. 
Hippie,  C.  W.,  588. 
Hilliar,  B.,  621. 
Holman,  F.  D.,  612. 
Horner,  J.  T.,  610. 
Hoch,  W.  C,  593. 
Hower,  J.  F..  617. 
Hoffman.  A.  C,  617. 
Houch,  W.  A.,  618. 
Hollenbaugh,  R.  C,  597. 
Holtzappel,  Prof.  G.,  631. 
Hurd,  C.  T.,  617. 
Hunt,  L.  C,  614. 
Huber,  C.  D.,  588. 
Huelsebus,  G.,  620. 

IDLEMAN,  CHAS.  619. 
'    Illich,  J.  H.,  616. 
Irvine,  A.  H.,  P.  E.,  583. 

lACOBS,  PROF.  OTIS  L.,  619. 
^    Johnston,  I.  E.,  616—  C.C..  617. 
Jones,  M.  S.,  689. 
Jonas,  Wm.,  P.  E.,  583. 

I/AUFFMAN.  C,  596. 

Kaechele,  J.,  585,  634. 
Kepner,  D.  L.,  583. 
Kerr,  J.  E.,  610. 
Kennelley,  M.  A.  588. 
Keiss,  H.  A.,  614. 
Kelly,  M.  B.,  620. 
Krause,  A.,  596. 
Krecker,  J.  H.,  592. 
Kielheffer,  C.  L.,  617. 
KIstler,  E.  A.,  582. 
Kipplinger,  E.  L.,  P.  E.,  583. 
Knuth,  F.,  598. 
Kimberlin,  C.  D.,  612. 
Knapp,  E.,  611. 
Kunkel,  J.  D.,  590. 
Koontz,  S.  E.,  583. 

1  AYTON,  A.  P.,  611. 

LaRosh,  E.,  617. 
Landis,  H.  S.,  619. 
Lentz,  C.  D.,  588.  • 


Lehr,  J.  O.,  592— T".  P.,  U9. 
Lewis,  W.,  593. 
Linsley,  S.  L.,  621. 
Litzenberger,  R.,  596. 
Liebhart,  H.  M.,  619. 
Leiddell,  P.  N.,  620. 
Loehner,  Abr.,  639. 
Lovell,  G.  L.,  617. 
Lohr,  L.,  611. 
Longsdorf,  D.  P.,  616. 
Ludwig,  P.  G.,  617. 
Lutz.  H.  C,  596. 

MAURER,  B.  K.,  588. 

Mayer,  F.  F.,  593. 
Maze,  W.  B.,  597— M.  T.,  P.  E.,614. 
Martin,  J.  W.,  599— A.  H.,  616. 
Manwell,  C,  613. 
Mace,  J.  H.,  619. 
iMaternas,  T.,  619. 
Marshall,  W.  R.,  620. 
Mason,  F.  L.,  622. 
Meloy,  J.  B.,  617. 
Mell,  A.  W.,  613. 
Metzger,  D.  M.,  632. 
Meads,  N.  T.,  588. 
Messner,  H.,  P.  E.,  588. 
Medler.  D.  A.,  P.  E.,  592. 
Meyerhoff,  J.,  617. 
Miller,  J.  G.,  596— Wm.,  609— A.  S., 

616— John,  639— D.  K.,   620— A. 

E.,  621. 
Milliron,  J.  G.,  593. 
Mock,  A.  C,  597. 
Morris,  T.  M.,  583. 
Arthur,  B.,  620. 
Morgan,  A.  L.,  611. 
Morga,  W.  D.,  614. 
Musselman,  E.,  689— A.  G.,  592. 
Mullen,  G.  W.,  P.  E..  620. 
McElhenny,  H.  E.,  597. 
MeVicker,  E.  E.,  598. 
McBrlde,  Ira.  611. 
McCray,  W.  B.,  617. 
McDowell,  G.  C,  620. 

NIEITZ,  H.  A.,  616. 

*^  Newhouser,  J.  H.,  617. 

QRS,  H.,  614. 

DARKER,  A.,  583. 
'    Percy,  J.,  583. 

Peters,  D.,  588. 
Pettit,  J.  T.,  619. 
Pippin.  R.  C,  583. 
Powell,  J.  C,  593. 
Price,  H.  L..,  597-^.  M.,  619— H. 
R.,  622. 

DAMSEY,  J.,  593. 

Rablng,  B.  C,  594. 
Rader,  M.  M.,  594. 


INDEX  AND  MINISTERIAL  REGISTER. 


665 


Randall,  M.  J.,  598. 

Rassweiler,  G.  F.,  617— Prof.  H. 

H.,  631. 
Relchley,  O.  W.,  617. 
Redeker,  C,  614. 
Renshaw,  J.  A.,  612. 
Rider,  J.  H.,  619. 
Rife,  E.,  611— S.  E.,  P.  E.,  615. 
Rhoda,  W.,  619. 
Roth,  D.  A.,  588. 
Rose,  J.  F.,  597— Ross,  588. 
Rcyhland,  S.  B.,  589—1.  A..  P.  E., 

593,  596— Henry,  549,  613. 
Rummal,  W.  H.,  592. 
Rosenberger,  J.,  613. 

CANNER.  W.  M.,  614. 

Sager,  N.  W.,  615. 
Saylor,  J.,  622. 
Seebolt,  T.,  616. 
Schiffly,  W.,  592. 
Schultze,  B.  R.,  593. 
Schneider,  J..  P.  E.,  5i9— J..  5.^0— 

Henry,  614;  P.  E..  620. 
Schraffner,  M.  W.,  583. 
Schupp,  J.,  614. 
Sellers,  J.  A.,  582. 
Seifert  W.  G.,  593. 
Schmidt,  M.,  593— L.,  597. 
Sehmalle,  F.  A.,  614. 
Sc6bert,  L..  616. 
Schwerin,  W.  F.,  614. 
Seese,  H.  B.,  597. 
Seitz,  F.  M.,  614. 
Snook,  H.  A.,  617. 
Shambach,  W.  I.,  614. 
Shambacher,  C.  W.,  614. 
Sills,  J.,  589. 
Snavely,  J.,  622. 

Srooyer,  B.  J.,  Cor.  Sec.  Miss  Soc, 
586. 

Shaeffer.  D.  P.,  583— J.  A..  610. 
Shuler,  W.  W.,  611— W..  619. 
Shirk,  C.  H..  588. 
Spech,  M.,  617. 

Snyder,  W.  H.,  616— S.  A.,  619. 
Smith,  F.,  582— I.  A.,  593— H.,  610 

—Max.,    611— A.    W.,    615— W. 

C,  618— Ferdinand,  619. 
Stirk,  A.  M.,  P.  E.,  588,  635. 
Stanford,  W.  M.,  Bishop,  5S6. 
Stapleton,  A.,  P.  E.,  610. 
Stauffer,  E.,  596. 
Stauffacher.  J.  E.,  P.  E.,  611. 
Stam'bach,  E.,  583. 
Steckley,  M.  M.,  592. 
Stewart,  C.  H.,  593. 
Steffy,  C.  S.,  594. 
Stittler,  W.  W.,  617. 
Stinson,  G.,  594. 
Stover,  G.  R.,  614— H.  C,  614. 
Stoke,  J.,  605. 


Sturgis.  L.,  583. 

Skinner,  J.,  617. 

Summers,  H.  V.,  597. 

Sunday,  A.,  617. 

Swartz,  Andrew,  P.  E.,  599. 

TAIjBOT,  C.  C,  621. 
'    Taylor,  C,  621. 
Teel,  W.  L.,  588. 
Torry,  S.,  597. 

Troyer,  E.  J.,  P.,  P.  E.,  590. 
Trumbore,  M.  K.,  609. 
Trumbauer,  J.  B.,  589. 
Thompson,  G.  M.,  598— C.  A.,  620. 
Thomas,  J.  F.,  639. 
Thuran,  A.,  620. 
Tunnison,  A.  C,  594. 


u 


BER,  W.,  590. 
Underkoffler,  W.  W.,  614. 


VAN  HORN,  E.  D.,  611. 

Van  Evera,  J.  F.,  614. 
Van  Meter,  R.  R.,  616. 
Vogel,  A.  H.,  599. 

U/ ALTER,  H.  P.,  582. 

Watts.  G.  L.,  5S2. 
Ward.  J.  W.,  610. 
Walker,  F.  W.,  639. 
Waltz,  C.  A..  617— J.  G.,  620. 
Waleh,  A.,  620. 

Wagoner.  B.,  613— Chas.  H.,  613— 

John.  619. 
Weaver,  T.  C,  590.  616. 
Weiland,  I.  H.,  620. 
Winter,  A.  A.,  614. 
Whitmore,  W.  H.,  593. 
Whitmire,  J.  G.,  .588,  639. 
Wiest,  S.  L.,  Publisher.  62.5— L.  O., 
588. 

Wise,  J.  G.,  589— J.  H.,  614. 
Wicks,  E.  J.,  598. 

Wilson,  R.  E.,  610— E..  614— E.  620. 
Wolford,  J.,  611. 
Workman.  J.,  588. 
Worman,  L.  N..  618— L.  O.,  617. 
Wonder,  W.,  609. 
Woodring,  E.,  605. 
Wood,         611— L.  H.,  620— S.  M., 
621. 

Wormkessel,  C,  609. 

VEAKEL,  H.  L.,  613— E.  K.,  P. 
'    E.,  614. 
Yearick,  S.,  588. 
Yehl,  O.  A.,  613. 
Toder,  D.  C,  593. 
Young,  D.  F., 593— Noah,  P.  E.,610.. 

7EIGENFUSS,  A.,  619. 
^   Zuber,  J.  W.,  588. 


Date  Due 

6r  

OCT  Z  2  '6^ 

>  

t 

(|) 

PRINTED 

IN  U.  S.  A. 

V 


